Nightmare
by OmegaFoxy
Summary: A/U The country of Nerima sits beside the EverFree forest, known for its mysterious creatures and magical tendencies. The prince was to be wed to a daughter of the Tendo Hall that protected Nerima from the brunt of the forest, but one fateful day changes their lives. Now the two must come to terms with their curses and find a way to break the spell before it is too late... Ran/Ak
1. Chapter 1

A/N- As promised, here is my new story. It does have a definite direction and will be updated probably monthly. Enjoy my lovelies and le'mme know what you think!

-Dessy-san

Chapter 1 At the Beginning

_We were strangers,_

_Starting out on a journey _

_Never dreaming_

_What we'd have to go through_

_Now here we are_

_And I'm suddenly standing,_

_At the beginning with you…._

_**Richard Marx ft. Donna Lewis- At the Beginning **_

"Akane," Kasumi Tendo, the eldest of the three Tendo sisters of widower Soun Tendo, called out to her younger sister who was lollygagging behind the group on her little fuzzy brown pony. Their father, Soun, was taking the family through the EverFree Forest on a joy ride they always went on after he returned from his summons at the Saotome Castle in capitol of the Nerima. He and his daughters enjoyed a good ride through the forest while Soun hunted wild boar and stag for his household to eat; and today was exceptionally pleasant!

The sun shown down on them from behind the thick canopy of oak trees that stood tall and proud with small shrubbery decorating near their roots. Squirrels chattered about as the girls and their father and two guards passed by on their horses and birds gloried them in song. A herd of deer revered them as they passed nearby, quickly turning tail when they realized their visitors were men. The forest was lush and green, and lively in the spring air.

"Keep up please, Akane dear," the eldest, brunette called out again. She was only ten, but after their mother had died only a few years after her youngest sister had been born, Kasumi took it upon herself to take over the mothering role for her sisters. It felt nearly natural for her to do so and had no complaints. Though she did feel as though mothering her two younger sisters became a full-time job for her at times.

"Yeah, 'Kane," the middle sister, Nabiki smirked as she turned her speckled gelding, Toru, to the side to wait for her little sister, "Don't wan' wolves or monsters pickin ya off, now do we?" she snickered behind her hand at her attempt to scare her sister. Akane was always easy to get a rise out of, but today the little toddler ignored her, much to Nabikis displeasure.

"Nabiki," Soun frowned back at his middle child, "You could scare someone with that talk." He shivered. His stallion snorted as if to agree with his master. It was very odd to see the King slightly shaken up, but his mount remained very regal and bold as ever. Such was the temperament of a warhorse though.

"I didn't mean to scare you daddy," Nabiki smirked back. Her gelding tossing his light mane as she nudged him closer to her family.

"Akane," Soun called again. To get the point across, his stallion, Rama, bellowed out a summon call that had Akane's brown pony, Brone perking his tiny fuzzy ears toward his leader.

"Commin!" Akane turned her brown pony away from a few bushes, giggling all the while, and trotted back up to her family, "I saw fairies!" she grinned.

"Did you now?" Kasumi smiled back warmly. Her golden palomino mare, Sandy, nuzzled the small Brone as he approached. The little gelding pawed at the ground and whinnied back at her, tossing his mane proudly, imitating Souns stallion, Ramma's attitude and making Akane giggle. Rama didn't seem to see the joke and turned his head away with a snort.

"Brone, you silly!" the seven year old rubbed her pony's neck electing an appreciative whicker from the little guy.

"M'Lord," one of the huntsmen approached the family on foot, holding a fist to his chest and bowing to Soun, "The dogs have spotted a white boar."

"White?" Soun was intrigued, "how exotic!"

"It would be a befitting plunder for tonight's dinner in the hall m'lord." The huntsmen nodded.

"What of the Amazons?" Soun furrowed his brow.

"None of their territory markings have been found near it, sir."

The Lord nodded with determined grin, "Good," he then turned his red stallion towards the man, spurring him on, "Take me to it" Rama eagerly pranced forward, sensing Soun's excitement. Quickly, Soun allowed the stallions excited prancings to break into a graceful canter, and they were off!

"At once m'lord" amazingly, the huntsman was able to keep up with the large stallions graceful canter through the forest and lead the way towards the already-in-progress hunt.

"I wanna go too daddy!" Akane spurred Brone into a full gallop to catch up with her father, "I wanna help get the 'exsawtik' boar!" she pulled out her toy bow n' arrow she received for a birthday gift last year.

"Maybe when you're older my sweet, but not today," Soun eased Rama to slow down a little to talk with his daughter, "The boar is too dangerous for you and Brone right now." Rama was loosing patience again and began to prance.

"But daddy-!" she started, tears swelling in her big brown eyes as Brone slowed to a stop.

"When I return, I promise to tell you all about it at bed time tonight!" he called back, letting the stallion have his head once more and breaking into a brisk canter, "I love you! Stay here where it is safe!"

"DADDY!" Akane shouted back, holding out a hand as if she could stop him. Brone whinnied as well, sensing her urgency.

"Don't worry Akane," Kasumi and Sandy approached from behind, letting one of the two guards that stayed back with them to take her reins as the other helped her dismount, "Father will be back soon."

"But I wanna hunt too," Akane pouted, turning in her saddle to look at her brown haired beauty of a sister.

"Oh Akane," Kasumi sighed sympathetically.

"Oh don't get her hopes up." Nabiki, the nine year old snorted as she also let the guards help her off the tall Toru while he pawed the ground uninterested, tossing his light brown mane when he found no suitable grass he wished to chew on, "Girls don't hunt anyways."

"Yes they do!" Akane bit back, swinging herself off her pony before the guards could reach her.

"M'Lady!" one yelped, but she ignored them as she stomped up to be face to face with her sister.

"Do not," Nabiki huffed, folding her arms across her little chest, holding her noise high in the air and looking down at Akane with a board look in her dark brown eyes.

Akane balled her little fists fuming, "Do TOO!" she gritted though her teeth.

"What Lady of the court have you seen do anything remotely similar to hunting?" Nabiki challenged, hands migrating to her hips.

"They ride horsesys." Akane snorted, crossing her own arms this time and still glaring at her know-it-all sister.

"Girls," Kasumi approached her sisters, stepping between them to force some distance, "Please, let's not fight." She pleaded looking back and forth worriedly, "It's not often we get to come out here to the EverFree forest and get away from the Tendo Halls walls." She looked around, "Besides we don't want to make the Amazons mad…"

"Girls can HUNT!" Akane insisted, turning her back to her sisters, arms still crossed and clicked her riding boots together, "Amazons do it all the time!"

Nabiki dusted off invisible dirt from her dark riding pants she wore and rolled her eyes, "Just because you keep saying that doesn't make it true, you know." She leveled her sister with a dubious look, "And Amazons don't count. You're not one."

"I don't have to be one to hunt, and I'll prove it!" Akane whirled, "I can hunt better'n any Amazon OR boy!"

"Really now…" Nabiki was not impressed.

"Nabiki…," Kasumi gasped at her sister, wondering why she was egging on their high-spirited younger sister.

"YEAH! WATCH ME!" Akane shouted, darting to her pony and hopping on, kicking him a little rougher than she intended. The pony reared and squealed in protest, surprising her and the others as he bolted into the forest.

"AKANE!" Kasumi hollered.

"Stupid brat." Nabiki huffed, "Now they Amazons really WILL get you."

"M'LADY!" one of the two soldiers ran off to fetch her while the other one worriedly watched his fellow soldier leave him, then looked back at the two remaining girls as if they would run too.

"Don't worry… we don't go running into a mystical forest with out any protection with out good reason." Nabiki didn't seem phased.

"Why did you do that Nabiki?" Kasumi turned to her sister, gentle as ever in her confrontation, but still genuinely concerned and angry with her sister for provoking Akane like that.

"She will never get it through her head unless she tries and slams into the wall herself, sister." Nabiki shrugged, "She'll be fine…. She's got that TOY bow n' arrow right?"

"Nabiki…." Kasumi looked from her present sister towards where her youngest sister bolted off, "She is just a child."

"So are we." Nabiki said softly watching where Akane bolted off as well.

000000000000ohmaih0000000000000.0

Akane was normally a very good rider. A better rider than any of those stupid stable boys back home and knight squires. She had ridden bucking ponies, shot arrows off the back of a horse, and learned to hop on Brone while he cantered pass her.

….But with Brone blindly galloping headlong, reins flying out of her hands, the poor raven-haired, seven year old could only wrap her tiny arms around his neck and hold on for dear life.

"BRONE!" she screamed, wanting him to stop, but unfortunately that only spooked the adrenaline pumped pony more as his little hooves dug deeper into the ground to go FASTER, "AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" she screamed, ducking her head into his long shaggy mane, trying to avoid the thick tree branches that scraped her and tore at her riding clothing.

Brone was quickly approaching a ledge with a steep slope on the other side of it and noticed it too late. The pony tried sitting on his haunches to slide to a stop before he reached it, nearly unsaddling his little rider, if she didn't have a death-grip on his neck already! Instead of stopping though, the pair toppled over the ledge, sliding down the muddy slope, both screaming in terror as they crashed through small bushes, narrowly missing half-uprooted trees.

Akane squeezed her eyes shut, willing the scary ride to stop, but helplessly struggled to stay on her pony while he clambered his hooves around trying to get traction and amazingly staying somewhat upright, not rolling on top his little mistress.

The land dipped suddenly and rolled upwards, tossing pony and child away from each other comically in the air, then splashing both into a very cold shallow body of water below. Akane struggled her way to the surface, gasping and gulping for air before she couldn't hold herself up any more and fell back in. SHE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO SWIM! She flailed about, desperate for air.

"H-HELP!" she screamed, "BRONE! HE-HELP!" she bobbed in and out crying out in terror, "I CAN-CAN'T SWIM!"

"HOLD ON!" a voice called out as another splash dove into the water just as Akane fell under again. It was getting harder for her to fight as he tiny body started to exhaust. Adrenaline slowly falling away….

Arms wrapped around her from behind, jerking her upwards, and suddenly air filled her lungs as they breached the surface. Akane's second wind flared to life soon as she realized she wasn't underwater.

"AAAAAHHH!" she screamed, struggling to get out of the water, not wanting to get back in.

Unfortunately that meant she was choking her savior, attempting to stand on top of him as she kicked and elbowed him painfully.

"HEY! CUT IT OUT WILL YA!?" the boys voice yelped. He struggled to hold her still as he tip toed the water, barely able to stand and keep his nose above the water breathe himself, "I'M TRYIN TO HELP, BUT I CAN'T DO THAT IF YOU DROWN US BOTH!"

Akane stilled, twisting around and wrapping her little body against his as he walked out awkwardly of the water. She shivered violently from the cold and fear with her arms around his neck where she buried her head into his shoulder. Her legs wrapped around his stomach, and he barely had to hold her to him at all with how she clung, but he did anyways until they were safely on the bank. Even when he did let go, she still held on, hardly moving at the loss of support.

"Hey… girl?" he poked her arm, but she tried to burry closer to him and he grunted, "Hey, look, we're outta the water. You're safe now!" he tried to dislodge her from himself again, but she held on tighter.

"NO!" she screamed, to which he winced since it was right in his ear.

"I said WE'RE OUT OF THE WATER!" he shouted back, starting to get angry that she was ignoring him. His anger vanished at her soft snivel though and he felt her body shiver for a different reason. She was crying… she must have been terrified! The boy started to feel bad for yelling at a scared, crying girl. It wasn't like she almost drowned just now….

He slowly lowered them so he was sitting on the ground, feeling her relax soon as her knees touched the grass, "See? Look" he tried to pull back as much as he could so she couldn't hide her face in his shoulder, "grass." He smiled at her, "see? No more water."

He watched as her brown eyes looked around timidly, and realization dawned on her. Then, ever so slowly, their eyes met and both paused as cerulean clashed into chocolate.

Akane stared at the boy savior, captivated. His hair was almost the same color as her own, but her long hair was more raven, as opposed to his sable. His deep blue eyes locked on hers as if he couldn't look away, and yet neither could she. His hair was pulled into a low ponytail that was almost loose from its holder from the struggle in the water and parts of his hair clung to his bare neck and shoulders.

"Who are you?" she whispered.

"R-Ranma." The boy answered, unable to look away from her face. Her raven bangs clung to her forehead. The rest of her locks was pulled into a thick braid down her back and face and her riding clothing was scraped and slightly muddy from her struggle, "You?"

"Akane." She replied, pulling away slightly to sit up on her own.

Brone whickered beside them, shaking off his fur and mane to dislodge the water, dousing them both again.

"BRONE!"

"HEY!"

The children shielded themselves from the shower of water, mud and pony sweat. Almost simultaneously realizing they were still very close to each other. Faces flared in blushes of red and pink as they darted back from each other.

"S-sorry!" Akane yelped, gathering her knees below her and fisting her hands on them, refusing to raise her gaze rom her knuckles.

He shook his head furiously making a noncommittal noise. Too embarrassed to speak.

A long silence filled the clearing near the bank they sat on until Ranma could take it no longer. The young boy stood up and turned towards the girl suspiciously.

"What were you doing falling in a fishing hole anyways?" he tilted his head, trying to knock some water out of his ears.

"It's not like I do that sort of thing for fun you know!" she defended sharply, turning to glare at him over her shoulder.

"Only an idiot would do that, stupid." He joked, but the girl didn't see it that way as she bristled.

"Well what kind of IDIOT hangs around a pond in the middle of the EverFree Forest alone?!" Akane growled back.

Ranma gapped at her, "You're sure loud for a cute girl." He snorted shaking his head.

"What?" her anger simmered again for a second as she blinked in surprise.

"I was fishing for lunch for me and Pop, when you and your donkey slashed all the fish into hiding and broke my fishing pole." Ranma explained as if she hadn't spoke, "Then I saw you couldn't swim so I had to help ya and-,"

"BRONE is not DONKEY!" Akane surged to her feet ready for a fight. Said pony looked between the children boredly, then lowered his head to graze.

"What do you call a pudgy mass of fur like that? That ain't no horse!" Ranma argued pointing at Brone, "and what kinda name is BRONE anyways? He looks like a Fluffy."

"FLUFFY?" Akane spat, "BRONE is a PONY. Can't you tell by the lack of rabbit ears?!"

"Rabbit ears are for rabbits, not donkeys." Ranma pointed out.

"I said they LOOK like em."

Slowly the two started getting closer, and closer in their yelling match until they were toe to toe yelling at one another.

"WHAT KINDA GIRL ARE YOU?!"

"THE KIND THAT CAN KNOCK YOU ON YOUR BUTT ANY DAY, YA STUPID BOY!"

"YEAH RIGHT!"

"YOU WANNA START SOMETHIN?!"

"BRING IT SISSY PANTS!"

"YOU LOUSEY JERK!"

Brone's head suddenly shot up and his ears perked as he smelled something in the breeze. The pony started getting nervous when he realized what it was and bobbed his head, stomping his hoof. He started to pace around the children, trying to get their attention that was locked onto one another so fiercely neither noticed the pony breathing down their necks anxiously.

"STUPID GIRL!"

"POMPUS BOY!"

"AT LEAST I DON-"

SQQQQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Both children and pony froze in fear. The children staring wide-eyed at each other as sudden fear hit them.

"Was that a-," Ranma started, but Akane saw the culprit burst through the tree line and sheer horror gripped her.

"IT'S A BOAR!" she snatched Ranmas hand and dragged him on Brone with her, digging her heels in the pony's sides, but Brone didn't need to be told to run. He lunged forward before Ranma fully had his seat behind Akane in the saddle, nearly tossing him there!

The boar roared in furry and honed in on the fleeing pony and children. It angrily made a mad dash forward, tusks lowered and red eyes gleaming with pure rage. Ranma chanced a look over his shoulder and yelped.

"IS THAT A WHITE BOAR?" he shouted.

Akane glanced over her shoulder hastily, "Daddy was hunting that boar!"

"Oh great, so it must LOVE to see us right now!" Ranma gripped her tighter as Brone leaped over a log, painfully slamming poor Ranma back down in the saddle when they landed, "OH MY GOD!" he yelped in pain.

Both children screamed when the white boar, who was only a few strides behind them, burst through the log they just jumped, angrily ripping into the dead wood by tossing its head left and right letting its razor sharp tusks make quick work of it.

"We weren't shooting at it so why is it chasing us?!" Akane shouted over the wind.

"HELL IF I KNOW, IT WAS YOUR FATHER WHO WAS HUNTING THAT THING!"

Suddenly Brone sat down on the ground again, trying his hardest to stop, squealing as he reared in the air. The land quickly sloped back into a steep hill again, forcing the pony to leap up on it at the break neck speed he was galloping at, but the children were not ready for such a vertical move and tumbled off the terrified pony's back, rolling back down to the bottom of the hill.

"BRONE!" Akane called, but her pony was gone and the Boar was upon them and Ranma wasn't moving at her side. She looked down horrified to see that he was unconscious.

"RANMA!" she snatched him by the collar of his shirt and shook him, "COME ON WAKE UP!"

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEALLL!

Akane rolled herself and Ranma out of the way as the boar charged them, falling further down the steep hill. She pulled Ranma tightly to herself as they tumbled over one another down the hill again. She could hear the sharp breath and pound of the boars' hooves as it turned around and followed them down the hill again. She had never realized how hilly the EverFree Forest was!

With the wind knocking out of her momentarily, they finally slammed to a stop again on flatter ground, Ranma breaking her fall with his prone body, still unconscious but moaning in pain, "Ranma!" she tried to lift him up to move them before the Boar caught up. She had to get them in a tree! Boars can't climb right?!

Too late.

The boar landed on the flat ground, making it shake with its sheer size, once again terrifying Akane. For a split second, she thought she and Ranma would surely die, mauled to death by an angry, raging boar.

"Leave us alone!" she shouted at the beast, throwing a lose rock from the ground at it, and missing a few feet.

The boars red eyes followed the rock then turned back to her unimpressed as it stalked forward, grunting all the while with tusks lowered and sharp teeth bared. It was a terrible sight to behold and a horrid smell to experience, gagging the young girl as it got closer and closer, closing the already short gab.

What scared her more was the look in the eyes of the boar. It's red eyes were not animalistic and angry, but cold and menacing. This thing wasn't attacking them in instinct like other wild animals did when threatened…. It was enjoying this!

"I'M WARNING YOU!" she bluffed courage she didn't feel as she fumbled for her bow and arrow, quickly knocking one back and aiming at the animal, "I will shoot you if you don't leave now!" she shouted, tears of fear rolling down her cheeks.

The boar paused, then let out a sound that almost sounded like a cackle to her. It was a squealing grunt that sent shivers up hers spine. The arrow flew from her bow before she realized she'd let go of the string and the boar screamed when it lodged itself into its thick neck just below its chin head on. It gasped in pain and flailed back, blood starting to drip from its teeth as its throat started to fill with its own blood and it coughed it out and stained its white fur.

With another gut wrenching roar, the beast charged blindly at the girl and her unconscious companion. Akane had already grabbed another arrow, but the beast was upon her before she could even think to knock it back.

She screamed in horror, thrusting out her fist holding the arrow instinctively against the impeding danger.

"Akane!" Ranma suddenly shouted, and she felt a strong hand grab the arrow near her own hand and thrust if forward just as the boar fell over them. It twitched once, twice, let out a moan and then went still on top of them.

"R-Ranma…" Akane grunted, barely able to breathe under the wild pig's dead weight, "you-You're awake!"

"Yeah!" he coughed, "And you're crushing me…"

"This PIG is CRUSHING US!" she emphasized.

Together, the two struggled to get out from underneath the dead white pig, bending over and falling on their behinds in exhaustion, panting extremely hard.

"We-we made it!" Ranma breathed.

"We're alive!" Akane smiled, turning her head from where she lay on her back to share with Ranma.

He mirrored her smile and started to giggle. The sound bounced between the two ecstatic children before it burst into out right laughter.

"WE'RE ALIVE!" Akane gasped.

"AND WE KILLED A BOAR!" Ranma rolled up to sitting position, crossing his legs in front of him, "AND YOU SHOT IT WITH AN ARROW! AS A GIRL!" he laughed.

"SO WHAT IF I AM A-," she started to get angry, but Ranma's brilliant smile stopped her as he cut her off.

"I'VE NEVER SEEN SOMEONE SHOOT LIKE THAT!"

"You…. You saw that?" Akane started to feel a blush over come her as she caught her breath.

"Yeah, when you landed on me I woke up…. That really hurt by the way." He groaned as he rubbed his ribs, "I think I broke something."

"Oh Ranma, I'm so sorry!" Akane yelped, rushing over to him to see where he was injured.

"I'm fine," He waved her off, "How about you? Anything broken?"

"Not that I feel right now." She shrugged.

"Children…." A clairvoyant voice echoed from the trees, "Children have done this?"

"WHOSE THERE!?" Ranma snapped up into action, getting in a fighting stance over Akane protectively, "SHOW YOURSELF!" he demanded.

"Oh now what!?" Akane stood up as well, at the ready with her bow, putting her back to Ranmas.

"You with the bow." The voice held little emotion other than curiosity in it, and had no specific direction it hailed from, so Akane and Ranma were circling trying to figure out where it was coming from, "Did you shoot Akuma?"

"Akuma?" Ranma narrowed his eyes.

"The guardian of the southern region of the EverFree Forest." The voice clarified, "He has protected this land from overbearing humans for three thousand years."

"That white Boar was three thousand years old!?" Akane yelped.

"Was it you?" the voice persisted.

Akane gulped and she was suddenly too scared to speak up.

"No I did." Ranma spoke up, "Girls aren't allowed to shoot."

"Ranma!" Akane hissed.

"Shhh!" he hissed back, looking back at her. Something in his eyes held her tongue, but her young mind didn't understand what that look meant. She had never seen someone look at her with eyes like his.

"You boy?" the voice echoed.

"Yeah? What of it?" Ranma puffed up his chest, "Aku-whoever attacked us first! We didn't do nothing!"

The voice was quiet for a good long while, making the children fidget nervously.

"Do we just leave?" Akane whispered. Ranma shrugged.

"You are a Saotome and Tendo, aren't you?" a small figure with flowing long white hair longer than herself hopped out on a stick into the children's vision.

"ACK!" Ranma backed up, holding out his hands to protect Akane, "WATCH OUT! IT'S A GOBLIN!"

"Fool!" the small woman rasped, "It is I, Cologne, of the Amazon tribe native to the EverFree Forest."

"You're the witch doctor Pop told me to watch out for." Ranma narrowed his eyes and braced himself, "Stay back Akane!"

"Witch Doctor?" Akane whispered hiding behind her friend, unsure of what to think. She had never seen a Witch Doctor.

"That is such a derogatory term." Cologne huffed, "Simply Witch will do."

"What do you want!?" Ranma demanded, "Was that pig one of your hench men?!"

"I do what the forest Asks of me dear boy, and it is the law of the land when a human takes a guardians life, the punishment is a life for a life. Humans are guests here in the forest and you may only take what you need to survive, but you have taken too much and must repay it."

"You want us to die!?" Ranma rebuked.

"No I want her to die." The woman hopped to the ground and pointed her knurled stick she used as a staff at the young girl behind Ranma, "She shot the arrow that took down Akuma. It is her debt to be paid."

"Debt to be paid?" Akane's breath left her, "But I didn't mean to kill him! I asked him to leave us alone!"

"And Akuma only meant to drive you from the forest, yet you didn't leave! Your fathers have taken too much so you must leave!" Cologne snapped back.

"But I did-," Akane tried to defend herself again, but Ranma stepped in instead.

"She didn't kill Akuma, I DID." He pointed a thump to his chest, "She may have dazed him, but I took the arrow and drove it into the boars heart. It would have killed us if I hadn't and you know that."

"So it would seem you both are guilty." Cologne hmmed, "But the law only says A life for A life. Not two for one." She hmmed some more, irritating the children, "What to do. What to do…."

Ranma quietly took Akane's hand in his own and leaned back to whisper to her, "Come on, Akane, lets get out of her while she's not lookin,"

"Kay," Akane nodded and let Ranma lead her slowly out of the witch's line of sight. They tiptoed in the cool grass and almost reach the first tree to hide behind when a ball of green fire WHOOSHED into their path, forcing the children to back pedal.

"I did not say you could LEAVE!" Cologne cackled.

"Look, we didn't mean to kill that stupid albino pig guardian thing! We're sorry but it tried to kill us first!" Ranma roared indignantly.

"THE DEBT MUST BE PAID"

"Yeah we got that already!" Ranma shot back.

"SILENCE BOY!" Cologne pointed her staff at him and Ranma gulped back his retort, "The forest speaks to me boy. I would quit angering it at least till it decides your punishment."

"Just be quiet Ranma," Akane urged worriedly, holding onto his bare arm. It was then that Ranma realized he was still half naked infront of not one but two women now, and had the decency to blush and cross his arms over his chest with a huff.

"The forest spirits have made a decision." The old ghoulish woman announced, "It is…. A surprising one at that." She pointed her stick at the children, "Three curses. One of the night, one of the future and one of the heart."

"Curses!" Akane stomped her foot.

"Wait …. THREE?" Ranma growled, "What happened to an eye for an eye crap you lying ghoul?!" a clump of dirt from the ground rose up and smacked Ranma in the face.

"I said quiet you fool." Cologne rolled her eyes, "Yes three. One for each and a shared one since you BOTH held the arrow."

"So happen to get technical here…." Ranma grumbled, whipping the dirt off his face.

"First is the curse of the Night." Cologne point her staff at Akane and the girls body glowed blue for a few moments then left her alone, "You deary get the curse of the night. Every night when the moon arises your true form will come to light, but during the day you will be hidden in a different form."

Akane looked down at herself in horror, "What form!?"

"I don't know, it's randomized." The old woman huffed, "I can interpret MOST of what spirits say, but its not exact you fool." She turned to Ranma, "As for you, boy… The spirits have a lovely surprise for you, but it won't hit just yet."

"Whaddya mean just yet?!" he demanded, bristling.

"I mean your inevitable curse will happen in the future." She grinned, "Hot and cold, yin and yang this is what your curse will entail. Now. For your shared curse." Cologne swirled her staff around, "Well it's not really a curse…"

"Say what?" Akane narrowed her eyes.

Neither child saw the green magic surrounding two thick pieces of log flying at either of their heads till they knocked the children on the back of the head, knocking them out.

"Well Amnesia, of course. Can't have you two remembering each other, that would be too easy to break the punishment." The old woman giggled as the children fell to the ground, not hearing a word she said, "The spirits can be so mischievous. To think, doing such a thing to our country's crowned prince and one of his possible suitors. Hmph." She shrugged.

A rustle in the trees showed a small, shaggy brown pony stepping out looking around as if he was searching for something, when he spotted the children, the pony pinned his ears menacingly at the witch and snorted.

"Oh don't get mad at me, beast of burden." The witch snorted, "What they get you know is inevitable when you tangle with spirits. Your mistress will survive." She levitated the girls body on the back of the pony, "There, take your charge back to her family. They will find out soon enough about the curse, but know the spirits were merciful this time… I will place the boy somewhere that the King will find him." She levitated the boy's body and went on her way to find King Genma's camp.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N- Review responses at the bottom. I decided that since this school semester will be harsh and I already have made good headway into the future chapters, I'd update again. Yes I know, I am awesome, so keep them reviews commin lol

And thank you for bearing with my rusty grammatical skills lol

_**Feeling my way through the darkness**_

_**Guided by a beating heart**_

_**I can't tell where the journey will end**_

_**But I know where to start**_

_**They tell my I'm too young to understand**_

_**Say I'm caught up in a dream**_

_**Well life will pass me by if I don't open up my eyes**_

_**But that's fine by me**_

_**So wake me up when it's all over**_

_**When I'm wiser and I'm older**_

_**All this time I was finding myself**_

_**And I **_

_**Didn't know I was Lost.**_

_**Avicii: Wake Me Up**_

Chapter 2 So We Meet again

18 years later…..

"So I have to go prancin around these women….. For what again?" Ranma yawned as he sat across the seat of his thrown with his father at his side. Ranma was about to be twenty-five years old, had run his country in his fathers place since he had turned eighteen (unofficially), won five mini-wars thus far, the greatest martial artist in the kingdom by leaps and bounds, and had thousands of women after his bed…. And he was being forced to-

"My boy you can't just keep sleeping with whom ever you want!" Genma Saotome growled from his advisors throne at Ranma's side.

"I don't sleep with just WHOMEVER" Ranma scoffed and turned to his captain of the guard, "Do I Ukyo…"

Ukyo shrugged, "No, my lord." The captain rolled her eyes, looking at the small piece of cloth the king had given her to read last night to Genma today, "Only the prettiest and biggest breasted, my Lord."

"Are you SERIOUS!?" Genma roared, "You realize that royalty should AVOID siring bastards right!?"

"Hey, I have been using Mouses anti-pregnancy potion in the wine I give the girls. No grandchildren for you just yet, old man, so just relax!" Ranma rolled his blue eyes at his fathers' antics, and then lazily perused the growing crowd before his thrown.

"You're going to put an end to that when you have a wife, you hear me!? I didn't raise a cheater for a King!" the previous king growled, quickly smiling as their guest started to file into the ballroom before them. It was sometimes scary how easily the King… AND the Queen, could switch facial expression so fast.

"What do you take me for?" Ranma snapped a glare at his father, "Of course I would NEVER do that to my wife! But I am not married yet, and I just don't see why I have to MEET her tonight!"

"We are merging our family with the Tendo family to strengthen our boarders even more. They are the closet to the EverFree Forest- you know, where all those crazy Amazons are and where the spirits and the hibijibi-mombojubo stuff is at? And not to mention there's not exactly a LONG list of princesses around." Genma explained like he had four hundred times this same day before hand… if not even more than that.

Ukyo turned to face her royalty, "If I may, Genma, Sir," she bowed at the waist, "There are plenty of suitable ladies to CHOSE from." She sent a pointed, unnoticed look at Ranma.

"I am sure there are, Ukyo," Genma replied kindly, not wanting to hurt the girl any more than he had to, "But our families agreed to this merger years ago when Ranma was still very young."

"Did I agree to it?!" Ranma quipped.

"You did at the time." Genma shrugged.

"I WAS SEVEN!" he Ranma roared, "I would have said I would switch places with a pig herder for a cookie!"

"Settle down Ranma!" Genma stood up, "Or do I need to get your mother over here? You don't even know what the woman looks like so just be a man about this! Shut your ungrateful, yapping trap and see where this path takes you! You know how our customs are. So maybe she won't even like your ugly mug and the engagement will be broken off anyways! We don't take the unwilling of queens to our beds. That's the Saotome way!"

"Sure, nothing about this is double standard at all…" Ranma murmured into his palm where he propped his head, looking away from his father.

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"Please tell me there's a way out of this?" Akane groaned as she allowed the stablemen to help her down the carriage. She felt uncomfortable in the flowing, elegant sapphire dress she wore that boat necked around her shoulders and ended just above her ankle. A slit on either side of her allowed her more freedom to move than normally and scandalously showed off her creamy thighs when she walked sometimes. The stablemen had to stop themselves from staring at the royal guest for too long.

"Relax, Akane," Nabiki, her elder sister smiled as their own captain of the guard helped her down, "Thank you Captain Hibiki."

Ryoga Hibiki bowed his head in respect and helped out their eldest sister, Kasumi out of the carriage as well, and their father, Soun dismounted his old red stallion, Rama and handed his reins off to a stable hand. The old stud still had some fire to him and startled the young boy he was handed off to when the regal stallion squealed a challenge to a nearby cavalry mount, which shied away at the intimidating display.

"Nabiki is right, Ms. Akane." Ryoga nodded, ignoring Rama's commotion. Residents of the Tendo hall were well accustomed to the macho-tempered old war stallions ways by now, "All you have to do is not like this Ranma guy and you're free to chose who you … you want." He faltered when she turned to face him. Casting her beautiful spell on him once more, and he always fell for it.

"Of course I am right," Nabiki winked, "besides, if this Ranma guy is anything like OUR Rama…" all three of them glanced back at the ill-tempered stallion, soured in cranky age and only calm when Soun was astride him, "I think you won't have a hard time saying 'No'." she nudged her sister reassuringly.

"That's what I thought, Ryoga, but now that I am here I can't stop my heart from POUNDING!" Akane held a curled hand to her chest. Ryoga couldn't help but admire how feminine and beautiful she looked, and had to shake himself out of it. There was that spell of hers again! And she doesn't even know what she's doing either.

"It's… I am sure it is just nerves m'lady," he bowed his head, forcing his eyes away from her, "You're in a new place and there's a lot you do not know yet. It's only reasonable that you would feel a little nervous upon arriving."

"Thank you Ryoga, and Nabiki." Akane smiled thankfully up to Ryoga, breathing a sigh of relief, "I can always count on you to cheer me up."

Ryoga had to turn his back to them, less the family see his entire body not covered in armor blush a bright red from his sheer happiness, "O-Of C-course Lady A-ak-Akane! HAHAHA!" he started to laugh.

"Who's he talking to father?" Kasumi watched as Ryoga appeared to be talking to a …. Pack mule…. And laughing with it.

"My dear, sweet Kasumi," Soun started as he offered his eldest daughter an arm to hold on to while they followed his other two daughters into the palace grounds, "That is a mystery in and of itself."

"Meet ya in there after you're done with the mule, Ryoga!" Nabiki smirked.

"Whaa?" Ryoga turned back around, seeing his charges were leaving him, "WAIT! MY LORD AND LADIES! IT'S DANGEROUS TO GO WITH OUT A GUARD!" he sprinted to catch up with them.

"Oh relax Ryoga, we are not at war." Nabiki shrugged, "It's not like anyone wants to kill us. None of us have been pronounced Queen yet. THEN they will want to kill us."

'_I won't let that happen to Akane..'_ Ryoga thought determined as he followed the family he had sworn fealty to, '_I just hope this Ranma guy isn't who I think he is…'_ he felt a sense of dread hit his stomach as he followed them down the corridors of the grandeurs halls of the Saotomes and into the large throne room being used as a ballroom for the night.

Akane held back a little, fear evident on her face as she fidgeted with her long hair, almost releasing it from it long decorated thick braid. She watched as her family entered the ballroom with ease and mingled with the other aristocrats. Each used to these kind of gatherings, but Akane had not been so fortunate. She was not used to crowds and this place was CROWDED!

'_How can these people breathe in here!? Isn't there supposed to be dancing? Is there room for that?!' _ She thought frantically. Her brown eyes searching for a familiar face as she realized she lost sight of her family. Her anxiety skyrocketed! '_Oh no oh no oh no oh no nonononononooooo!'_

"Lady Akane…" Ryoga startled her from her side. She didn't realize he had been there the entire time since she stopped at the door, "Are you going to be ok, m'lady?" his dark forest green eyes searched her own, and she could tell he knew she was panicking.

"I'm just… not used to this type of scene. We usually have our parties in the day time at home so I don't usually get to go to balls unless it is really important and…. At night." Akane confessed, looking up nervously at the high moon above showing through the skylight windows above.

Ryoga followed her gaze, understanding completely. All those who worked at the Tendo Hall knew of Akane Tendo's curse and how she acquired it from the EverFree forest, taking on the punishment the spirits felt due to man, and they were all very protective of it as a secrete. Even if Ryoga hadn't been sworn to secrecy about it, he still felt he would be that way towards her. Akane was a kind heart and gentle soul and never really complained about her predicament.

Ryoga allowed himself to place a hand on Akane's bare shoulder, silently admiring her soft skin under his fingers, "Ms. Akane, I know for a fact there's plenty of night left for you to enjoy yourself tonight. Your … condition shouldn't affect you. And if it does, my men and I are at the ready to take evasive action." He nodded.

"Thank you again Ryoga. I guess I am just feeling…. Skittish." She grinned at the inside joke.

"Again, understandable my Lady." Ryoga grinned, taking her hand and kissing the top of her knuckles, "Shall I escort you in?" he nodded towards the inside of the room.

"Sure," Akane sighed with a roll of her eyes and grinned, stealing Ryogas poor heart away again and again as she sliped her delicate hand around his offered arm and let him lead her into the fray.

00000000000000000000000000000issssss showtiiiiiiiiiimmmmmme!00000000

"Is she here yet?" Ranma asked his father as he searched the crowd, trying to guess whom his bride to be (maybe) was. He saw a few good lookers he wouldn't have minded for his bride to be, but no one lade was standing out to him.

"I see her father right now, so yes, son. She should be here." Genma grinned at his son as he stood up, "Now get up and join in the party. If you haven't found her in a while, we will announce her."

"You're gonna make me work at finding her?" Ranma quirked a brow, "I'm getting tired of these games, pops." He rolled his eyes then, standing up as well and following his father down the few steps to the ball floor from the thrones. Captain Ukyo, in her masculine armor followed a few steps behind him, ever so vigilant in her watch over her king.

"Humor me for once." Genma shrugged and disappeared to find his best friend, Soun Tendo.

"'Humor' him he says." Ranma shook his head and shared a look with his captain of the guard, "Well lets do this."

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"How do I know which one is him?" Akane's nervous, second thoughts about entering the crowded room had her unconsciously backing into Ryoga's side as he lead her in arm into the sea of nobles and royals.

She could hardly believe this was a room! She looked down to avoid the smiles and appreciative faces of the people around them that stepped out of the way while the pair walked though the room. The floor had an image of Akane's face staring back at her, as the alabaster stone was waxed and smoothed over so well that her reflection, and everyone else's shown through like solidified white water. The walls and pillars were the same stone with solid gold trimming, all just as polished as the floor, and above (as she noticed to begin with) glass window ceiling that showed the beautiful starlit sky and moon above. Akane drew her eyes back down from the tall ceiling and image of the moon as another wave of nervousness sent her heart fluttering again.

In her other form, she would have bolted at the first sign of this… but she was human right now, until the sun came up at least.

"I don't think I can do this, Ryoga," Akane tugged on her escorts' arm, stopping him with the smallest of resistance.

Ryoga halted, turning his forest green eyes back to the princess that stole his heart long ago, sighing greatly with the knowledge that he couldn't allow her to stop and leave now. She had to at least reject this prince guy, after all. Then they could run away together- …. Well then they could return back to the Tendo Hall.

"M'lady, Akane," He shook his head of the thought of running away with her, "You must be nervous, but I know you can pull this off." He smiled gently to her, "I know! How about I go get you a refreshment? Maybe that will clear your nerves a bit." No sooner had the words left his lips, did the captain of the guard of the Tendo Hall wedge himself out of Akane's hold on his arm and wander off into the crowd, "I'll be right back!"

"Wait- RYOGA!" Akane called out, but he already disappeared into the crowd. She turned this way and that trying to find her friend, but to no avail. Grumbling in defeat and an attempt to hide her sudden anxiety, Akane looked around one last time in defeat, "Oh you dummy…" she looked to her left where a table of hors oeuvres were with the drinks on the end, "The drinks are right HERE…."

"You look about as comfortable as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs," a voice snorted to her immediate right.

Akane yelped softly and hopped away, facing to her right in a ready-for-action pose, only to come face to face with a tall, young man with jet-black hair braided into a pig-tail at the nape of his strong neck. From the way he filled out the well-fitted silk, red top, Akane could tell that he was some sort of fighter. She couldn't help the way her eyes took him in quickly, still not wanting to come off rude at such an event, but she really couldn't stop herself. Broad, strong shoulders and chest, a trim waist from the way the tailored silk both seemed to cling and hang off casually around his form, the golden trimmings accenting very well, and the black belt tying at the waste where loose fitting black pants resumed where the red top stopped. She had an idea that he was the type to work out all over, from the stance he held in such a casual, yet coiled way….

'He's a martial artist.' She thought with a sigh of relief, 'Probably not the prince,'

"Hello?" he snapped her back to the real world when she realized he was talking to her and holding out a small glass drink, "I said you look like you could use a bit of wine. It should loosen the tension you're feeling a bit." The look on his face said that he had just repeated himself.

"Oh… thank you, sir" Akane nodded, taking the glass shyly from him, nearly dropping it when static electricity jolted her finger tips where they brushed against his as they handed off the glass. He pulled back his hand as if he felt it too, looking back at her and catching her eyes.

"Sorry, I must have drug my feet across the floor or somethin," His hand reached up behind his neck to scratch at his pigtail, obviously a little nervous as well. The slight pink across the bridge of his nose was endearing and Akane felt her own blush flitter across her cheeks in response as she ducked her head to try and hide it for a moment before looking back up.

"No, no I don't mind." Akane offered with a shake of her head as she sipped her wine thankfully, "I probably shuffled my feet a bit as well, so I am just as shameful as you I guess…. I'm…. I'm just not accustomed to large crowds." She admitted, feeling her cheeks burn a bit more.

The young man's dark blue eyes watched her for a moment as she sipped her wine again, watching him from underneath her long lashes curiously. She raised her head as he cleared his throat and held out a hand to her, "Don't like crowds, eh?" he smiled a half smile, "Well, how about we get out of the MIDDLE of this one."

"That would be wonderful," she admitted, taking another nervous sip, forgetting that her sisters warned her about the family weakness to wine… it didn't take long for her to start feeling the pleasant warmth in her belly. But she couldn't tell if it was from the wine or the handsome young man leading her out of the crowd to where they could breathe a bit.

The young man led her to a large balcony, almost the length of the throne room itself. A thin veiled white curtain separated indoors from out, and the young man bent down to lift up the hem and allowed Akane under and through first before following her outside to the brisk balcony. Akane shivered, her sapphire dress was more for warmer weather like how the Tendo Hall was this time of year. Here at the Saotome Palace, however, it was prone to cold evenings and chilly light winds, where it had no forest trees or mountains to break the northern winds from cruising across the plains.

Yet as the young man led her to the edge of the balcony and rested on the gold, marble and silver railing, Akane could see the appeal to the capitals location in the never ending golden plains. The city lights stretched a couple of miles in each direction, bending to a large river that divided the city in half, just like it halved the golden grasses of the plains that stretched beyond the city. In the horizon to the west, she saw a glimpse of green that she knew was the EverFree Forest, near where the Tendo Hall was, guarding the forest boarder from invaders at the western flank. To the east, a blue lining of the sea was barely visible and beyond that a dark stretch of sky dotted with diamond-like stars reined above. And finally, the moon. So beautiful … so cold…

"Hey, don't tell me you already had too much wine," the young man joked, "Or are you just so happy you're out of the crowd you're speechless?"

Akane turned back to her 'savior' and bowed at the waist to him, "Thank you so much," she righted herself once more, noticing his surprised face, apparently they don't bow much here, "Truly though, I do thank you for getting me out of there. The walls felt like they were closing in…. though they are beautiful walls." She noted as an after thought with a quick glance at the outer walls, just as vibrant as the inner ones, "Tall, beautiful…white walls." And now she was rambling.

The young man shrugged his shoulders and seemed to brush off the thank you, "Yeah well, I don't really like this kinda scene either. Momma put up the glitz and glam really. She'd be happy to know someone appreciates her tall white walls she has polished so often." He chuckled a little as he teased her lightly. It just came easy to him.

"Momma?" Akane tilted her head confused, feeling her head spin ever so lightly. So that's what her sisters warned her about….

"You know … the queen? She really likes big parties like this and enjoys meeting everyone again and making new friends and keeping an eye out for trouble makers to the kingdom of Nerima and yadda yadda yadda," he nodded, turning away from her to rest his elbows on the balcony.

"Wait, you call the queen of Nerima… Momma?" Akane was very confused now. This can't be the wine putting things in her ears now, can it? Maybe the Saotomes were just very close with their staff? This guy was dressed nicely but she thought a prince would be dressed up…. Well, More.

"Sure, why wouldn't I?" now it was his turn to turn to her confused, arching one brow, but all Akane could do was admire the way the moon lit up the lighter blue hues of his yes. They seemed to glow at her in an ethereal way that had her voice caught in her throat a moment.

'What is it about this man?' she thought, pinching herself discreetly to knock herself out of it and stop gawking at the poor boy. She then looked down at her almost empty glass and tipped it over the balcony. That's it. She's getting rid of this drink.

What she didn't mean to do though, was drop the glass itself. She winced, hoping the young man didn't notice as she discretely pulled back her hand as if she didn't just toss a, possibly crystal, glass of wine over the edge of the balcony.

"Well I … I just thought… surely you're not the-," she started, but was knocked down suddenly by a flash of purple hair and dark green clothing, "I SWEAR I DIDN'T MEAN IT!" she shouted while falling to her butt on the balcony floor, thinking it was retribution for tossing over the wine glass.

A feminine voice snarled above her as Akane struggled to get to her feet again, praying that her skirt didn't ride up!

"Let hope it no your fault. Now …. WHERE RANMA?!" the voice sounded as if their language was slightly difficult for her to muster.

"What the hell are you doing?! YOU CAN'T JUST SLAP GIRLS OUTTA THE WAY!" the young man shouted back, "Wait… where did you come from?" he stood there in shock with his finger pointed at the woman in disbelief.

"That's what I would like to- OOF!" Akane saw stars as the purple haired woman lashed out with her leg and kicked back at Akane in the gut with out turning to look at her, knocking the wind out of her and sending her staggering to the ground once again.

'That's twice now….' She thought as her anger flared, but she hurt too much to do anything about it, 'What is this lady's problem?!'

"Is good idea to be silent whiney girl." The young woman huffed, "No talk to you." She turned to the young man, "Where Ranma?"

"You're lookin at him." Ranma readied himself and charged the woman, taking her off guard as he grabbed her wrists and twirled her away across the slick surface of the balcony. He bend down to Akane, helping her sit up with an arm behind her back, "Hey, are you alright?! She didn't break anything did she?"

"It will…. Take more than… that…" Akane struggled to get her breath back as she pushed herself up with her arms behind her, rising away from his arm, "Who is that? An assassin?" she got ready to pull out her dagger she had strapped to her inner thigh when the young man… Ranma stood up again and stood between her and the intruder in a protective stance.

"If she is… she's on the wrong balcony lookin to kill the wrong person." He muttered.

"Wait, she called you Ranma…" Akane realized, but Ranma didn't hear her as the young woman was on him again.

The intruder leaped in the air, her slim, long legs wrapping around Ranma's neck as she twisted, flinging him across the balcony and slamming into the pristine walls of the castle with such force his body broke the stone in a shape of himself. With a groan Ranma slid down the slick rock and lay still for a moment, trying to make sure he didn't break too much on that one.

"YOU RANMA THEN? GOOD!" the young woman grinned, "Is you I need!" she pulled out some old rope and dashed forward towards her quarry.

"I think you're forgetting someone, ASSASIN!" Akane tossed her dagger at the woman, nearly catching her if the young girl hadn't stopped just short. The purple haired intruder looked at the sleek knife embedded in the thick stone at her feet then drew murderous eyes towards the raven-haired young woman.

"You try harm Shampoo….?" The young girl hissed, "Shampoo try to keep whiney girl out of this but you too stupid to stay out of it!" the woman pulled out a handful of knives from inside her dress near her chest, one per each knuckle, "heed warning next time, yes!?" she threw them at Akane, who instinctively got to her feet and back flipped back out of the way. One knife tore into her skirt, ripping the seam on her right leg up to her hip and showing off the lacy white undergarment there.

"EEK!" Akane quickly sat down, trying to hide her underwear.

"Stupid girl." Shampoo rolled her eyes as she casually walked forward, "No one want to see old lady underwear on ugly young girls." She snickered, "Look too much like Mule."

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME!?" Akane roared, still not daring to stand though.

"You hear Shampoo… unless you stupid and deaf. Then Shampoo sorry for picking on disabled. Grandmother Always say no do that to less fortunate." The woman stuck out her tongue, "Nya! Just kidding, Shampoo not sorry! Aahh haha haha!"

"I've heard just about enough!" Shampoo twisted away from a lethal jab of a fist Ranma delivered from behind her. Once again, the purple haired woman and Ranma faced off.

"Is good. Shampoo back on task now." The lady that called herself Shampoo stood up tall and held out her hand, "Come with Shampoo, Ranma." She acted as if he would just take her hand and they'd be on their merry way.

"And why would I do that?" Ranma tensed; ready for a fight again as he again put himself between the intruder and the young girl he had been sharing the evening with. He felt bad she had been dragged into an assassination attempt on him.

"Master Ranma!" Ukyo burst through the curtains with another young man at her side wearing a yellow patterned bandanna.

"LADY AKANE!"

"Is easy," Shampoo continued as if the two newcomers weren't even there.

Ukyo jumped into action, "An assassin… quick, ALL GUARDS TO ME!" she blew her whistle and every guard in hearing distance bolted towards their location.

"Shampoo take Ranma to EverFree Forest where we mate." The purple haired girl smiled almost cat like with a happy blush, "Ranma make Shampoo wife and we has many, many babies, yes!" she nodded happily.

The entire balcony went silent….

"Lady Akane… why is your underwear showing?" Ryoga's high-pitched surprised voice yelped as his face became so red he almost exploded at the sight of lacy white glimpse of panties.

"CAPTAIN RYOGA!" Akane screamed in embarrassment as she tried to cover up best she could with the remains of her pretty skirt. Ryoga scurried to her side, tearing off his captains cape from his shoulders and wrapping it around Akane to help her modesty.

"Master Ranma…." Captain Ukyo said in a dark voice, "Who is this woman who is going to take you to the EveryFree forest and MATE with you?" the female captain of the guard was so angry, the other soldiers around her backed away in fear. No one messed with an angry Captain Ukyo, unless you had a death warrant.

Ranma looked perturbed as he glanced at his captain of the guard as if she lost her mind…

"Wait… I get it! You're AKANE!" Ranma pointed to the purple haired girl with realization strapped to his face, "THAT'S why you sought me out like this! You're the girl I'm supposed to marry! Talk about an entrance though…" he shook his head.

"…No, I AM AKANE YOU IDIOT!" Akane shouted behind him, startling the poor boy.

Ranma spun around in shock, "Wait… you're Akane?! But you never said…. I thought… then who is this!?" Ranma turned back around to find the purple haired woman nuzzling his shoulder, "ACK! HOW'D YOU GET THAT CLOSE!?" he tried to pry away from her.

"I called Shampoo," Shampoo purred as she hugged Ranma around the neck, "And you are Shampoo's mate great grandmother said to bring back to Forest and mate with, Ai ya!" she giggled, kissing the shell shocked man on the lips, startling the entire present body. Ranma, with all his strength was trying to get the crazed woman off of him, but Shampoo was firmly wrapped around his torso and latched on to his lips, "MMMMMMMMMMPPPPH!" Ranma started flailing around, desperately looking towards Ukyo to help him.

"C-captain?" one of the soldiers quivered in confusion, "Wha-what do we do?"

"She's not Akane so I am calling her an assassin…. Take her." Ukyo snarled, glaring daggers at the woman still attached to her prince, "Gag her too." She huffed.

"M'AM!" the soldiers set to work, pealing the woman off Ranma and binding her before Shampoo understood what was going on.

"Let Shampoo go or you be sorry!" Shampoo warned, "Shampoo must get Ranma and go to- oh!" Shampoos eyes rolled back into her head as she slumped down. Ukyo standing behind her with the butt of her sword rose from where she punted the woman in the back of the head, knocking her out.

"I don't like her…." Ukyo huffed, her dark blue eyes flashing dangerously as she readjusted her scabbard back inside her belt at her waist. She then approached her prince's side where he was hunched over on the floor of the balcony, heaving in precious air, "Lord Ranma? Are you alright?"

"I… I'll be fine." Ranma coughed, "That was the most horrifying assassination attempt I have ever encountered!" he shook his head.

"Yes it must be so TERRIBLE to have half-naked 'assassins' PLOW into you and kiss you while rubbing their curvy body all over you. You have my sympathies, my prince." Akane spat.

"Oh you're still here?" Ranma looked up at her, genuinely surprised, "I thought you got away when I distracted her…" and after all he went through to get that crazed woman distracted too! She's still here!

…. Though he didn't mind the view.

Akane gawked at him, unable to respond as Ryoga offered to help her stand, but she refused his hand and pushed herself to stand on her own in fiery retribution.

"What happened to your skirt?" Ranma commented. Though he was rather enjoying those shapely milk white legs that looked smooth to the touch and … was that white lace?

That was the last straw!

"What happened? WHAT HAPPENED?!" Akane shouted, startling everyone present as her pent up anger and anxieties flared to life in a burst of emotion, "I'D LOVE TO TELL YA, BUD! Let's see: first crazed assassin PUNTS ME out of the way, then she goes after you, you forget I am here, she ATTACKS me with her knives, I had to save your sorry ass, then you forget I am here again and go off making out with an assassin turned…. LOVER in front of me when she ripped half my dress in two! WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENED, YOU ASSHOLE!?"

Ranma, was at a loss now as well. This woman he was looking for all night, the one to be his future wife… which from what he was seeing he didn't mind that idea, and she was angry at him. REALLY angry at him. She was breathing heavy, her long hair was arrayed and tugged out of her braid, her chocolate brown eyes alight with something he could get addicted to, and the way her tattered dress only seemed to be hanging off her in the distressed state it was in…

'This chick is really getting to me' he thought.

"Look, I don't know what you're getting all mad about, Lady-,"

"In case you have forgotten," Akane cut him off again, putting a hand on her chest, once more distracting Ranma into bringing his attention back to her ample bosome he worked so hard to ignore to try and stop staring…. Well that failed. Why were they fighting? Were they even fighting really? "I am 'called' Akane….. LADY Akane, to you." She added as an after thought.

"LADY Akane," He rolled his eyes once again able to distract himself from her body, "In case YOU have forgotten, that assassin was after me and came at us with out warning!" he threw his hand in the air incredulously, "Do you think I would have allowed a beautiful woman in my company to have gotten hurt half as much as she got you with out putting up a fight?! Only so much I can do when she SLAMS ME INTO A WALL!" he pointed out.

'He thinks I am beautiful?' she thought, anger dissipating a moment.

"Oh Akane, there you are! How wonderful!" Akane and Ranma turned to the new comer on the balcony…

Just now realizing that the entire ball had witnessed their little spat between them just now. The guards had to move the curtains out of the way and the guests of the party had turned and gathered around to find out what's going on.

"Lady Kasumi!" Ryoga bowed his head in respect as Kasumi approached with Nabiki at her side, "Lady Nabiki,"

"It would seem you and your future husband have met," Nabiki gave Ranma a once over, "Eh he will do. At least our nieces and nephews will be adorable."

"N-Nabiki!" Akane's face flared.

"M'LADY! SUCH LANGUAGE!" Ryoga yelped.

"What's she mean by 'he'll do'?" Ukyo huffed. Her prince was godly and nothing less. This Podunk family didn't deserve her prince if that's how they felt.

"Ch-Children?!" Ranma felt weak in the knees.

"Oh it is much to early for that," Kasumi chastised her mischievous sister.

"Thank you, Kasumi" Akane sighed.

"The wedding tomorrow must come first." The eldest sister smiled, enjoying teasing her youngest sister a bit. She received an appreciative grin from Nabiki showing that she approved of Kasumi's take on this.

"Now hold on a sec-," Ranma started, stepping forward and having enough of being talked about.

"Honored guests," queen Nadoka stepped forward onto the balcony, "I believe we have all had a very exciting night tonight, but unfortunately it would seem that your prince is tiring out,"

"I'm fine actu-OMPH!" Ranma was silenced when Ukyo noticed Nadokas side-long glare and elbowed her prince in the gut.

"It would please us if you all retired to your chambers for the night. Morning is upon us soon." Nadoka continued, "We bid you good night," she smiled charmingly, waving as the small horde or guests filed out for the room. She then turned to the sisters and her son while Soun and her husband approached from behind her, joining their families.

"MORNING!? Akane hissed quietly, and nervously looked at the sky around her. Indeed it was lightening up. Her sisters and Ryoga noticed her sudden nervousness and Nabiki stepped in with a yawn of her own.

"Oh yes, my Queen Nadoka," she nodded, "It would seem my sisters and I are tired from our trek here and need to retire as well.

"In a moment, dear," Nadoka's soft pleasant voice was suddenly chillingly ominous, then turned to her son with a serious look in her dark eyes, "That purple haired woman… what was her name?"

"She called herself Shampoo… over and over and over." Ranma replied, unimpressed. He noticed his parents and Sir Tendo exchange looks, "What? Is there a twin of hers called Conditioner coming after Akane and me or something?" he snorted at his own joke.

"This is no laughing matter boy," King Genma Saotome growled, balling his fists, "That Shampoo is an Amazonian!"

"But they never leave the EverFree Forest!" Akane retorted, "We thought she was an assassin?"

Soun shook his head, "If she's going to hurt anyone it would be you my dear." His eyes downcast as his words sunk in for everyone.

"Me…?" Akane whispered. Taking a small step back as her eyes widened. What did she do to incur the Amazons wrath?

"But why!?" Ryoga roared, "Why would they go after someone like Akane?! She's not in line to the throne and the Amazons boast not wanting anything to do with Nemrima! I won't allow it!"

"It was me that girl was after anyways!" Ranma added, just as confused, placing a splayed hand on his chest in emphasis.

"It's because of you Akane is in danger." Nadoka turned to him solemnly.

"B-But I didn't put her in danger on purpose!" Ranma back-pedaled, "I didn't even know her till like… two hours ago! I have never even MET an Amazon, let alone this chick called Shampoo until even less than that! Why is it all my fault!?"

"That's right, she attacked him first and ignored me till I stepped in!" Akane supported a bit, surprising Ranma, "Well after her initial _shoving_ me out of the way as it were." She admitted as an after thought, making Ranma deflate a little bit more.

"Now hold on you two." Nabiki held up her hand to stop the two of them from getting any more worked up, "Our parents haven't said the full story." She turned to the now nervous parents.

"Oh is it time for a story?" Kasumi smiled, "I love history!"

Ukyo cocked a brow and leaned to her prince, "This is the family you're marrying in to… you can run later tonight. I won't look."

"Shush," Ranma looked nervously to his mother, knowing Nadoka heard that from her sharp glare that said 'don't even think about it'.

"I was eighteen years ago when the leader of the Amazonian tribe of the EverFree forest placed a curse on a Saotome and a Tendo child." When Soun mentioned this both Ranma and Akane fidgeted uncomfortably, "Each curse unique to the elements of this land meant to be a lesson to the rest of Nerima. There's a way to break the curses, but only the leader of the Amazons know of it since she converses with the spirits of the land."

"There's a way to break my curse?" Ranma/Akane gasped, then looked at each other, "You have a curse?!"

"So what's your curse then, LADY Akane?" Ranma's eyes narrowed 'This should be good…'

"Hmph, what's yours?" Akane shot back, defensively.

"I think I asked first, so don't try that with me." He smirked.

"Lady Akane doesn't have to tell you anything!" Ryoga stepped between the two protectively.

"Yeah well My Lord Ranma has no obligation to tell your Lady anything either, honey." Ukyo did the same for Ranma, hand on the hilt of her sword.

"No one has to tell anyone's curse unless they feel the need to." Nadoka cut off the argument again, "please stay focused here children, this is important." Her voice left no room for arguments, like a true ruler.

A collective 'Yes M'am' was heard.

"Now, knowing this, and the fact that the witch's granddaughter went after Ranma when the Amazonians don't interfere with Nerima… You fathers and I think that it is time to confront the witch."

"You mean you want me to go after some old ghoul and force her to give me the cure for our curses?" Ranma summed up, 'this will be a walk in the park!'

"No, both of you have to go." Genma corrected, "She may have to do it on site, and it's unfair for one of you to get cured while the other one doesn't."

"So we're traveling…" Akane gulped as the realization hit her, "In broad daylight…"

"She's got a point," Ranma agreed…. Not getting the point Akane was trying to get at, "If we travel in the day, there's no guarantee that Shampoo woman is the only Amazon after meh-uh… us." He looked back awkwardly at Akane, "Traveling under cover of night seems best if that's the course we have to go."

"At'ta boy!" Genma approached his son and clapped him on the shoulder proudly, "What a great plan!"

"Of course it is." Ranma nodded proudly.

"Then it's settled." Nadoka nodded, "Tomorrow afternoon…. Well from the rising sun, THIS afternoon, Ranma and Akane will take Ukyo and Ryoga as protection and head to the heart of the EverGreen Forest. When they get back we will hold the wedding here at the palace."

"BUT I/SHE-," the forced couple protested.

"And that is FINAL." Nadoka, once again, left no room for argument. Her stare steady and impenetrable.

"Pardon my intrusion, your grace," Ryoga bowed respectfully, anxiously looking at the sun, "But my Lady's…. condition …" Nadoka followed his line of sight, knowing his concern.

"Yes, understood." She turned to Akane with kind eyes, "Akane, dear, we have prepared the finest room for you to rest in and will have small carriage fashioned for you in the daylight."

Akane nodded, slightly relieved but still nervous about traveling with someone she didn't know very well, "Thank you Queen Nadoka." She let Ryoga and her father lead her away to her temporary chambers.

"Why does she need a carriage?" Ranma tilt his head, "She afraid of horses?"

"If only," Nabiki muttered, "Her curse is affected by being exposed to daylight. She doesn't get the luxury of avoiding it like you can, from what I've heard at least."

"Sunlight…. That's…. that's rough." Ranma knew his curse was pretty hard to deal with, but at least he could change back with the right temperature of water. Akane… she had no choice.

"Come my Lord," Ukyo ushered her prince away, stepping aside to let him lead, "You should get some rest as well…" she turned for a moment when his back was to her and looked back towards where Lady Akane had left. She felt a pang of guilt for feeling jealous for such a girl. She didn't ask to be cursed, or forced into marriage with someone she didn't know, or attacked by an AMAZON of all people and now that Lady and her Prince were being forced once more to go after some Amazon leader….

'_She can't be TOO bad'_ Ukyo reasoned, vowing not to let her jealousy get the best of her on the trip tomorrow.

After all, if she got on Akane's good side, she'd be able to advise Akane against falling for Ranma and then Ranma would be all hers again!

-End of Chapter 2

Woooo, so how about that Ukyo? Eh? Lol

Responses:

Tuatara: Highly unfair! But the way I see gods, they do not have the same sense of justice humans do. It's more simple and primal, especially forest gods. Fear not though, that Boar wasn't doing what he was doing with out…. Other causes.

Compucles: I was aiming for interesting and different and from your review I hit the mark lol Yes, Ranma's is his typical, but we're just gonna say instead of accident it was now fated that it would happen. Akane's may surprise you, but yes, she will be lonely with it. As for the typos/erros. I think I relied too heavily on my spell check since before I posted it I always run it. Mine doesn't seem to really warn me about grammatical checks and I get too impatient. Hope it doesn't distract too much?

Natalie-E-G: My thoughts exactly! Those pesky gods have more in store for these two though, so sit tight and enjoy!

Ciao: Oh I do love their arguments, don't get me wrong, but where Akane/Ranma are 15/16 in cannon, here they are 24/25 and can easily get… distracted (as you have seen thus far lol) the stubbornness is still there, but I am just honestly having way too much fun with them. And yes, I was INSPIRED!

AliceTheBookGirl: Happy to keep you on your toes and interested! And yes, I had to keep Ranma's curse, it's too much of a gem not too, but like I said before, Akane's may surprise you! Oooh I am so excited!

A/N-Thank you all for your reviews! As a bonus to you all and to encourage more feedback, here's a tidbit of Chapter 3:

"_Ranma mother say they leave this morning." Shampoo chimed watching as the young man stopped in mid step, "You no know?"_

"_AAAACK! I FORGOT ALL ABOUT THE TIME!" Mousse yelped. _

"_Is too bad." Shampoo sighed at the poor man as he freaked out, pacing back and forth._

"_What am I gonna do!? The prince needs medical supplies! Especially going into the EverFree Forest!" his voice started getting high pitched in his stress._

"_Especially now that timeless dragons surfaced again." Shampoo added in again, not at all phased by Mousse's pacing and frantic ranting and raving._

_Mousse paused, "Timeless what?"_

"_No-fire, No-flying dragons of old times." Shampoo offered again._

"_You mean those gigantic beasts in history books! Those ancient creatures that you make bone weapons out of!? And … and-and-,"_

"_Yes. Those." Shampoo nodded, "Grandmother said they return now that Akuma be dead for too long. They reclaim Forest." _

"_Oh Shit…." Mousse forgot all about keeping an eye on Shampoo and flew out the door soon as he flung it open and fled to his King and Queen to relay the message._

_All the while, he didn't notice the faint purple glow that had started to encase around the keys that were left on his work table._

"_Stupid Man…" Shampoo smirked as the purple glow levitated the keys to the door she was locked in and promptly unlocked her door that caged her in. flipping her hair back out of her face, Shampoo looked back at the door after she let herself out and kicked it closed again, "Shampoo no like tiny places…" and with that she stalked out of Mousses lab, "Now to find Ranma again." _

See ya closer to February!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N- Over all, it would seem you people like this story a little lol It is somewhat amusing isn't it? Mixed results with a 'play-boy' Ranma, neh? Lol Don't worry, sure he is a bit OOC but this is an A/U so that's to be expected in my book.

But in his defense for what he made Ukyo say to his father in the last chapter, Ranma was also trying to piss off his father. Not to say he's still a virgin though, just not to the extremes he boasts lol

I was going to post this chapter on my birthday two days ago, but I was whisked away by my fiancé lol, so I haven't had a whole lot of time the past two days.

Now on with the story!

_I ain't got no car_

_And I've got one pair of jeans_

_They've been stretched too fair_

_And now they're weak at the seams_

_I can't see what's next_

_And I got nothing up my sleaves_

_But I don't lose my head_

'_cause it ain't really up to me_

_And I'm doing just fine_

_I'm always landin on my feet_

_In the knick of time_

_By the skin of my teeth_

_I ain't gonna stress_

_Because the worse ain't happened yet_

_Something's watching over me_

_Like sweet serendipity _

_**Lee DeWyze- Sweet Serendipity**_

Chapter 3 I am a Bit Horse

-18 years earlier-

When little Akane woke up later that night, she stiffly realized she was laying on her side and stretched much like a tired cat. With a great yawn and more effort than usual to push herself up to a sitting position, she shook her head of the waning grogginess and tried to reach up and rub her eyes clean of the sleepers she'd gained from her nap….

Only to slam her nose against something solid and much too bulky to be fingers. The young girl then jerked away in shock, losing balance she had while sitting up and falling hard against the soft straw beneath her. She sneezed when the dust flared up around her from her sudden movement and it came out in more of a snort. She felt her ears twitch and swivel on top her head and stilled.

Her ears… they were not on the sides of her head… but the top. She tested them again, barely needing the briefest of thoughts before her ears swiveled again. Much more than she was used to. Akane held her breath as she slowly looked down, noticing that her body was tucked under herself, not as a human sits…. But as a dog would…

Or a young horse.

"WHAT'S GOING ON!" '_WHIIIIINEEEHEHEHEHEHHHH_' came out of her mouth when she spoke, scaring her again as she clamped her lips closed by slamming her what she thought were her hands, but now her knobby horse knees, into her face. She knocked herself back with the force she moved once more and winced at the pain.

"You don't have to scream about it." Akane sighed a relief when she heard a friendly voice and turned to face it. Maybe it was one of the Tendo Hall's servants that were tending her. Her father should be alerted soon and all would be well-

She came face to face with Brone's muzzle that had a mouth full of hay he was chewing.

"B-Brone!?"

"That'd be me." Brone swallowed his mouth full and bobbed his head in a 'yes'.

"ACK!" She scooted, as much as her awkward new limbs would allow, away from him in terror, "You-you just talked!"

"I always have, Akane. You can just hear me now." Brone snorted as he looked her over, "That witch really did a number on ya didn't she?" the little pony circled her, sizing up her new form.

"Witch?" she felt her ears perk up on their own. It still felt so weird to have them up there! And they were so sensitive too!

"The squirrels called her Cologne." Toru's white and brown speckled face appeared over the stall door. It was then Akane realized she was in Brone's large, horse-sized stall, "She's some kinda leader of those Amazon women of the Ever Green Forest." The gelding's bored, blue eyes seemed about as impressed as he ever was. It took a lot to get Toru to show much emotion other than relaxed.

"Don't you remember her?" Brone tilt his head, "You know, small demon-like human with long hair, hellish face and hops around on a big stick?" he made a ghoulish face to get his point across.

"K-kinda…" Akane admitted. She tried to remember something… anything, but it was all quick flashes of pictures with out sound in her head. At least one of them was of an elderly lady similar to what Brone was describing, "Yes. I do a bit."

"You should try to stand if you can deary." A third voice came from the other side of Brone's shared stall as the golden palomino mare with brilliant platinum blond mane poked her head over the wall as well, "Your current body needs to be on its feet quickly or you wont walk well if this is permanent."

"Permanent!?" Akane gasped, hyperventilating.

"Sandy… it's not permanent." Brone rolled his eyes, "And you're not helping." He pinned his small ears back slightly annoyed at the mare, who backed off, ashamed she'd caused trouble, "Look kid. The witch said that this only happens in the day time, so anytime the sun is hidden behind the moon and the night's veil, you're human again."

"It's daylight now?" Akane looked around the slightly dark stable.

"It's late afternoon." A fourth voice joined. This one seemed more standoffish than the others. The authority it held caused her little shoulders to flinch as she ducked her head instinctively. Akane had to crane her neck back to catch a glimpse of red mane and ears at the back of their stall. Rama's large indoor pin was behind Toru, Brone, and Sandy's, "Now stand up." He snorted with a toss of his head and a paw of his large hoof, "Come on, on your feet!" he hung his massive head over the edge of his pin, reaching into the one she was sharing with Brone at the moment. A sour expression plastered on his face as he pinned his ears back when the little filly didn't immediately jump to his command, "Up you get! If you can walk on two feet you can stand on four hooves, girl." He whickered in his deep voice, ignoring the looks the other equines were giving him in response to his harsh tone with the little girl-turned-filly.

"Give her a minute, will you, Rama?" Toru huffed with a toss of his head, "Not everyone was born a war horse, so pipe it down will ya?" the gelding lashed his tail in agitation, earning a warning glare from Rama.

"Look, she's getting it!" Sandy whinnied happily, catching the stallion, and the geldings, attention back to the filly.

Akane struggled to her feet, but with encouragement from Sandy and Toru and some help from Brone, she was on her own four hooves!

"I did it!" Akane felt something behind her wag and turned her head around to see a small fluffy tail wagging, "I HAVE A TAIL!"

"You have four legs, mane, ears, and hooves… did you not think a tail was part of it?" Toru snorted with a chuckle at her shocked face.

"Go on and take a look at yourself in the trough." Brone offered, walking by her side so she could balance herself if she needed.

In the reflection of the water Akane saw a stunning raven black coat and blue-tinted mane, light and fluffy with youth. A heart-shaped white marking was on her forehead, between her eyes where she saw familiar chocolate brown she'd always sported before. She looked like a yearling filly! Only a little taller than Brone himself!

"Wow…" She couldn't keep her jaw from dropping.

109823741092873410 -18 years later - 109827309418723098417209387

Stifling yet another yawn, Ryoga stretched in his saddle, letting his feet hand loose from the stirrups, seeing no point in leaving them in when he can just hang them out and stretch his legs more, rather than have them crap up again in a bracing position the stirrup irons forced them in. His forest green eyes darting back to the black mare tied to the back of the carriage he was riding beside, feeling slightly guilty.

The Tendo's had a plan to hide Akane's curse: with the carriage Nodoka Saotome had offered them, Soun insisted he offer his soldiers horses to outfit the party. So all the horses were dark colored or black so no one would notice if one switched places or not. This way, if a random black horse went missing, especially at night, no one who knew any wiser, would understand that it was Akane. However, that meant that there was a chance Ryoga could get her mixed up with the rest of the horses. He was horrible at that….

And that also meant that instead of resting in the carriage like Ranma and his men thought, Akane had to walk the journey. She couldn't very well fit in the cart as a horse after all… not with out bringing up questions why it smelled of horse INSIDE the carriage. Or why there was a horse in there in the first place….

'At least today is the only DAY we're riding. She can ride the extra horse at night like we planned, once we reach the forest.' Ryoga thought, once again looking back at the black mare again. He made eye contact with the high-headed Akane and she nodded. Her way of saying she was fine, since he couldn't understand horse.

"You alright there Captain?" Ryoga jumped when he realized Ukyo had reined in her horse next to him and caught him constantly looking over his shoulder. She looked over her shoulder seriously as well, "You don't sense someone following us already, do you?" she looked back at him.

'He's pretty feminine, for a guy…' Ryoga thought, not knowing Ukyo's true gender since her armor hide it well…. At least to him.

"No… nothing like that… Captain." Ryoga shook his head.

"Then what are you looking at?" Ukyo again looked over her shoulder, curious now. All she saw was the back end of the cart, a few extra mares tied off to it and that was it. Ranma, naturally, was in the front leading with the carthorse tied to his saddle so no one had to direct the cart.

"I uh…" his eyes darted back again.

"I'm listening…" Ukyo really wasn't going to let this go was he?!

"Oi, Ukyo." Ranma called back, "Let'em be will you?"

Ukyo pouted, "He's the one lookin all guilty over his shoulder and all" she then pulled her horse to cut Ryoga's off, grabbing the front of his uniform. Unlike her, he didn't wear plated armor all the time, just very light leather armor. She jerked him forward in such a quick movement it startled his horse to shying out from under him and they went tumbling to the ground. He grunted painfully when her metallic armor slammed him in the chest when she fell on top of him, having been unsaddled herself.

"You're not helping the Amazons ambush us are you!?" Ukyo demanded, "ANSWER ME!" she dug her metallic gauntlet into his chest ever so slightly.

"No!" Ryoga coughed, grabbing onto the armored forearm holding his shirt and trying to rip it away from him, but Ukyo pulled back her other fist in a threat. She would start wailing on him if he didn't start talking soon.

"No what!?" she demanded.

'_Ryoga!_' Akane whinnied fearfully and started untying her lead quickly from the other horses, '_That she-captain is acting insane_!'

"I'm not leading anyone to you!" Ryoga shouted, dodging a well-armored fist as it plunged just inches from where his face used to be.

"Why don't I believe you?" she growled, surprised she was able to hold down the man this long. He wasn't really trying to get away, just didn't want to get hit and wanted her to let go of his shirt. But her gut said this man was hiding something, and her years of training and looking after Ranma with multiple assassination attempts made on his life told her that secretes in small parties with big goals were bad.

"Ukyo-," Ranma dismounted his horse and quickly approached them, but Ukyo shrugged him off when he put a hand on her shoulder.

"We cannot allow any traitors on our mission! And that is just like Amazons to plant one of their own in our ranks to get to Ranma!" she snarled, lunging back for another go at punching this guys lights out.

"UKYO LOOK OUT!" Ranma forcefully grabbed her by the shoulders and threw her out of the way just before rock-hard hooves slammed into the ground she once crouched on.

The female captain rolled out of the way and twisted around to see what happened. One of the horses was untied and standing planted firmly over Ryoga's body. Her hooves nowhere near harming the young man, but the animal refused to move. Her neck arched and head lowered with pinned back ears as she glared at Ukyo a warning. Completely ignoring the prince right in front of her as if he wasn't there. The little mare bared her teeth at Ukyo with burning dark eyes, startling Ukyo.

'That… that mare attacked me….' Ukyo thought. What had she done to that animal?

"The heck is that horse doing?!" Ukyo stood up and righted herself, approaching the scene once more to get the loose mare and tie her up again, but when she came close, the black horse reared, flaring out her hooves in warning.

Ukyo, smartly, backed away from the mare. Calming down livestock was not her forte, and this one seemed dangerous. Why was such an animal assigned to them on a mission like this? Did the princess just HAVE to have her favorite broad to prance around on? Ukyo scoffed at the idea of Akane Tendo being so … spoiled.

Ryoga dared not move from his spot on the ground, too terrified that Akane wouldn't be able to tell he was still dangerously close to her angry hooves…. 'Please don't crush me Akane…' he gulped. His green eyes trailed up the hard hooves that were inches from his person up to the muscular horse chest that heaved in Akane's wrath.

"Hey, hey there, whoa… shhhh shhh shhh," Ranma softly hushed as he approached the obviously angry, loose equine. He gently took her dangling lead rope in his hands and tenderly tugged her head to look away from Ukyo, wanting to cut off the source of the mare's anger. He then held out a hand to her flaring nostrils, letting her take in his scent before he attempted to bet the mare's face and try to calm the animal down, "Easy there girl," he whispered when he had the dark mare's attention on himself solely now.

'_What's he doing_?!'

Akane tossed her head and yanked away from his touch, surprised that he was even touching her in the first place, and then backed up unsure. But he stayed with her, some how knowing she wouldn't leave her protective spot over the captain on the ground. Both Prince and Lady missing the terrified yelp of Ryoga as he scrambled out of the way from her hooves to safety. Akane took a few more steps back, and Ranma took a few more forward, once more seeking contact he had held with her before. Akane stubbornly planted her hooves once more, refusing to step back any more and opted to hold her head up and out of his reach instead, but that seemed fine with Ranma as his ever gentle hands rubbed up and down her neck and shoulder to get her accustomed to his touch while his soft voice stayed low and pleasant to set her at ease. Even when the mare reared on her hind legs just a little in Akane's attempt to scare him off, but the young Prince wasn't buying it.

"Ranma, be careful!" Ukyo warned, seeing the mare's bluff of a rear.

"Don't hurt her!" Ryoga started forward once more, but Ukyo grabbed his shoulder.

"Hang on, you'll only scare her more." Ukyo nodded to the scene, "Look he's finally got her to stop backing away." It appeared that Ranma had managed to calm down the mare. She stood quietly, slowly lowering her head into his gentle caresses along her nose and cheek.

"But I-," Ryoga stared hopelessly, sure that Akane's anger at being treated like a true beast of burden would have her blow her cover any moment now. He braced himself for what was to come. He just knew that she would stop playing the part of 'frightened mare' and start lashing out like the infuriated Akane he knew would. This had to be the calm before the storm or something….

"Att'a girl," Ranma hushed in a gentle voice that had Akane tightly captivated, and the feel of his even softer hands on her muzzle. She shivered, happy that horses couldn't blush…

"There," Ranma smile when the black mare calmed down and whickered a sigh of relaxation, "She's not all that bad, now is she?" he turned to the stunned vassals, "She's just spirited is all." Quirking a brow he handed Akane off to Ryoga, who snatch the rope like Ranma had stolen it, "Whose horse is she?" he asked looking her over, "She's in REALLY good shape! Never seen a mare put so well together,"

Akane snorted, '_Hmph, at least he has some good tastes, regardless of his lady-killer tendencies_.' She thought, and then turned to look at Ryoga since she couldn't reply as a horse.

"She- uh… She's Akane's mare…. Yeah." Ryoga was really bad at coming up with excuses, and Akane showed him as much when her ears pinned back a little and she pouted at him.

"You'd think she'd be coming out soon," Ranma thought out loud looking over to the carriage, "Does she sleep all day, or something, during the change?"

"YES!" Ryoga quickly nodded, "M'Lady is sleeping so… we-we should keep moving!" he nodded furiously, even though Ukyo and Ranma clearly saw that he was hiding something from the dead-panned looks they were giving him.

"Is this guy serious?" Ukyo whispered as she leaned toward her prince, keeping an eye on the cute, yet eccentric captain.

"Probably just denser than rock." Ranma mumbled back, and Ukyo had to nod in agreement as they watched Captain Ryoga looking around the group as if trying to decide what to do with Akane's horse and what to do with his own.

"Here! Why don't I just tie this horse back to the cart and we can-," Ryoga started but Ukyo blocked him from the cart.

"After what she pulled last time? Nu-uh." She shook her head and crossed her arms, "That mare is getting ridden to work off some of that steam. It's not safe to put the Lady Akane on her if that thing is this hyped up. Especially at night." Ukyo looked up to the sky at the sun, gaging that it was starting to descend, but not yet a sunset, "We probably have a good three or four hours before sunset and her 'transformation' kicks in."

"What do you mean Ride Her?" Ryoga ignored everything else said, "No one can ride her!" he blushed. Akane fidgeted. No one had ever tried to ride astride her before… she didn't know if she could balance a rider, let alone know what to do with one!

"Why is she tacked with a saddle then, and meant to be Akane's horse, if no one can ride her?" Ukyo crossed her arms again, once again turning her formidable stance towards Ryoga who saw it as a challenge. To her Ryoga wasn't a straight shooter just yet. She still had her suspicions of this guy.

'Who does he think he is!?' Ryoga thought venomously.

"She-She's Akane's horse- THAT'S why!" There. That should put that punk in his place!

Ukyo's stare was disbelieving and the tick in her brow said she was getting annoyed. Pinching the bridge of her nose while she tried to avoid a headache she thought of a way to explain that what he just argued was so stupid it wasn't even an argument. Once again her Prince stepped in.

Ranma switched Akane's lead rope with his own geldings reins in Ryoga's hands, "Here, I'll ride Akane's horse a while and get her warmed up for the 'Lady'," he offered.

"But your highness-," Ryoga once again was at a loss, "She really doesn't like-,"

"It's ok," Ranma turned to him as he searched the saddle for the mare's bridle to switch the halter out for on the horse's head before he mounted, "I'm pretty good at this sort of thing for some reason. Hey where's her bridle?"

"She uhh…" Ryoga was stuck again. They never needed a bridle with Akane's saddle or on her since they never intended to use her as a riding horse! Just a decoy. Boy he was in hot water now!

"Here, just switch it out for one of the pack horses." Ukyo offered as she went about, unhooking a spare from one of the packhorses still tied to the back. She then put Ryoga's spare horse back with the other horses as well.

Meanwhile Akane stared down her muzzle at the prince who thought he was gonna get a bit into her mouth… and a bridle on her face. Was he MAD!? She raised her head high and out of reach as he tried to unlatch her halter to switch them out, squealing a protest and stomping an irritated hoof. Just who did these people think they were? Did they KNOW where that bit just came from? And they wanted her to put that in her mouth? No way!

"Head shy, isn't she." Ranma frowned, backing off the bridle for a moment.

"Well you see…" Ryoga choked on his own words. He could say nothing, unless he were to expose her. Riding horses always had some kind of bridle and bit worn when ridden here, it was a natural thing, "She just doesn't know you I guess."

"Fine then," Ranma stretched his hand up between Akane's ears and lightly pressed on a pressure point there. Akane's head bowed automatically in instinct and she grunted in surprise that her body obeyed him. She stared at the ground she was now nearly face to face with, shell-shocked.

'_What did he just DO to me_?!' she thought, but before she could raise it again, he fluidly replaced her halter with a bridle and bit, lightly pressing another pressure point near her mouth to get her to open up to the bit with out resistance. The cool metal was laced with a strange coppery taste that had her tonging it curiously in her mouth as she got used to it. Akane knew all of her father's horses bits were laced with copper so it would taste and feel more acceptable to their horses and now she appreciated the kind gesture her father had done. It made the alien bar of metal in her mouth a little easier to deal with. She kicked out with her hind legs a little in protest when Ranma cinched up her girth that held the saddle in place, also unused to that tight feeling either. Was it always this uncomfortable being a horse? The girth felt something akin to how corsets felt when tightened!

'_You get used to it._' The gelding Ryoga was holding whinnied an encouragement to her, '_The prince is a real soft hand though. Lucky you_!' he nodded his head as the other horses in the group agreed.

'_That's not the point_!' Akane protested back with a toss of her head and shifted nervously as Ranma steadied them both before he swung up on her back.

Akane braced her feet wide apart at the newly added weight, prancing a little bit as she got used to trying to balance them both upright. Ranma noticed and felt very odd with how his mount was behaving. He turned her back towards Ryoga, noticing that instead of a small amount of pressure he had to practically force her head where he wanted her to turn.

"She's not… green broke is she?" He tried to get the mare to stand still, but it felt like she was trying to figure out how to do so with out toppling over. He felt the mare shift her weight constantly under him.

"YES! That's exactly why… she doesn't like anyone but My Lady!" Ryoga was proud of himself for connecting the dots on that one! Now it defiantly didn't look suspicious!

'Are all the people of the Tendo Hall loons like this one?!' Ukyo face palmed as she lead her horse to a flat surface and mounted as well, "Let's be off then. Maybe she'll be a little more comfortable after we ride the road a bit, my Prince." Ukyo shook her head, "We need to be near the tree line around night fall for better cover."

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"You called Mousse, yes? Please let Shampoo out," Shampoo begged through the peephole of her cell door, "She need find Ranma, or bad things happen."

"As pretty as you are and sweet allure you have to your voice, I cannot grant you that request." Mousse shifted his glasses up his nose more as he prepared his potions and herbs out on the table.

The amazon was certainly a handful! The guards had to wrestle her back into the dudgeon cells that were barred off three or four times! Each time they couldn't figure out how she got the doors open, or even got out in the first place! So King Genma had the Amazon shoved into Mousses' empty linin closet in his 'lab' where he treated the sick of the castle and also compiled spices for the cooks from his many collected herbs.

"You think Shampoo pretty and alluring?" Shampoo purred.

Mousse leveled a look at the door so she could see that he wasn't playing around…. Though from the glare of his glasses, she honestly couldn't tell from her handicapped visual of him through a peephole, "Not pretty enough to blatantly let you out of that cell so you can go off and attack Lord Ranma Again." He huffed.

"No attack," Shampoo gasped, "Shampoo excited to see love of life!" she corrected.

"Well your 'love of life' happens to be betrothed to someone else." He said matter-of-factly, "So give up on him and in a few days we can release you back into the wild where your people seem to thrive in your animalistic, uncaring ways."

"Mousse has Amazon name though. Is Mousse not Amazon too? Why you talk bad about Amazon?" She gritted out the last part like she was ready to throw down with him even through the door.

Mousse paused a moment as memories came back to him. Memories that were the very reason he chose to stay here at the Saotome castle, "It's got nothing to do with the likes of you who are obsessed with someone you don't even know. How can you claim to love him if you just met him and attacked him!?" he accused, going back to folding his organized selection of herbs into pouches inside his belt cloth he designed himself so he could carry all his self-made remedies and poisons at all times.

Shampoo was quiet for a while. Mousse almost thought his convictions made her so angry she wouldn't talk to him any more. Well fine then! Who needs a beautiful voice like hers to talk to when he had work to do any ways?

"You were abandoned." Her voiced assumption cut through both the silence and his concentration. He almost ripped the fine cloth pockets he was working on as it took him off guard, "Your village left you in golden grass sea as mother punishment, yes?"

"What do you know." Mousse hissed out as over whelming emotions started to rise in his chest, but he kicked them back down. He wasn't about to let this temptress assassin get the best of him, "Now if you'll excuse me, Ms. Shampoo, I have to get these to Ranma and his party before they leave."

"Ranma mother say they leave this morning." Shampoo chimed watching as the young man stopped in mid step, "You no know?"

"AAAACK! I FORGOT ALL ABOUT THE TIME!" Mousse yelped.

"Is too bad." Shampoo sighed at the poor man as he freaked out, pacing back and forth.

"What am I gonna do!? The prince needs medical supplies! Especially going into the EverFree Forest!" his voice started getting high pitched in his stress.

"Especially now that timeless dragons surfaced again." Shampoo added in again, not at all phased by Mousse's pacing and frantic ranting and raving.

Mousse paused, "Timeless what?"

"No-fire, No-flying dragons of old times." Shampoo offered again.

"You mean those gigantic beasts in history books! Those ancient creatures that you make bone weapons out of!? And … and-and-,"

"Yes. Those." Shampoo nodded, "Grandmother said they return now that Akuma be dead for too long. They reclaim Forest."

"Oh Shit…." Mousse forgot all about keeping an eye on Shampoo and flew out the door soon as he flung it open and fled to his King and Queen to relay the message.

All the while, he didn't notice the faint purple glow that had started to encase around the keys that were left on his worktable.

"Stupid Man…" Shampoo smirked as the purple glow levitated the keys to the door she was locked in and promptly unlocked her door that caged her in. flipping her hair back out of her face, Shampoo looked back at the door after she let herself out and kicked it closed again, "Shampoo no like tiny places…" and with that she stalked out of Mousses lab, "Now to find Ranma again."

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'Whatarewegonnado, whatarewegonnado, What. Are. We. Gonna. DO!?' Ryoga nervously looked between the slowly fading light and his Lady-turned-horse-about-to-turn-back-into-a-Lady… being ridden by that cursed Ranma Saotome princey-guy!

Ryoga's grip on his reins tightened in anger, 'Even that thought sounds dirty… damn you Ranma!' it was an irrational mixture of anger and jealousy, since Ranma had no idea whom he was …. riding, but Ryoga didn't see it that way! The play boy prince had sunk to another low in his eyes!

'Gotta think up something fast!' He once more looked up towards the quickly approaching twilight. He had roughly thirty minutes at most before Akane turned back to her beautiful, human self. He had to find a way to get Ranma off of her and get Akane out of sight, and (somehow) back into the carriage.

'If only she'd just buck him off or somethin…. THEN he'd be put in his place too.' He cackled inwardly and accidently…. Giggled on the outside, 'Eating dirt like the filth he is, that pervert…'

"Captain Ryoga…." Ryoga choked with an odd, high-pitched noise in the back of his throat when he realized he was being watched by the prince's captain of the guard, that Ukyo guy, "Are you well?"

"Course I am." He huffed, jabbing his nose in the air with a snort, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You just giggled like a little girl…. Sir." The title at the end was almost sarcastic.

Almost.

Ryoga coughed, "I had a silly thought." He replied with an air of indifference. He'd show this prince and his little guard-man! He'd Show'em alright!

Besides, why did captain Ukyo care, of all people, if Ryoga was well? The guy had pulled them both off their horses just to choke Ryoga and try to punch him when he thought Ryoga was an Amazonian Spy…..

'Because that makes complete sense.' Ryoga thought dryly with a sideways glare at the unsuspecting pretty boy captain. Both the prince and his little lackey grated Ryoga's nerves something horrid! Why did he have to travel with them?

Wait wasn't he thinking about something important?

'AKANE!' he looked back at the waning sun, 'Oh shit!'

Apparently Akane was thinking the same thing, because their little caravan came to a halt when Ranma started yelping in surprise.

"What-has-gotten-into-this-mare!?" he yelped between the twisting and turning desperate bucks the little 'mare' was doing under him. She reared up on hind legs only to leap up and land on her front hooves, lashing out with the back legs and arching her spine while dancing and prancing around in tight circles. She squealed urgently in her attempts to get the prince off her back almost in desperation, it seemed.

"HOLD ON M'LORD!" Ukyo roared encouragement as she reined in her mount. The other horses pranced in excitement in response to the mare's sudden out burst, "Something must be spooking the horses!" Ukyo drew her sword and turned her horse around to try and catch sight of the danger, "SHOW YOURSELF, COWARDLY AMAZONS!" she dared into the tall grasses around them.

"WHOAAAAAH!" Ranma yanked on the reins and kicked his heels into Akane's side from the impact of being tossed around, unwittingly making her bolted down the path at break neck…. wobbly, and unstable speed!

From where Ryoga could see, Akane's retreating form looked like a drunken horse running with an idiot rider trying to hold on.

"Well…. There goes our secrete…." Ryoga gulped, his voice breathy in hopelessness as his shoulders slumped. He had failed his princess.

"Ugh! Stupid horse!" Ukyo snarled as she tried to get it to follow her lord, but the beast was having none of it as it planted its hooves firmly and refused to move forward, backward…. Anywhere, "Ryoga! You have to help him! Or at least get one of theses stupid animals moving! The Amazons could be ANYWHERE!"

"Amazons…? Oh Right!" Ryoga jolted out of his shock and urged his mount forward, surprised that it willingly moved into a gallop after his quarry, "Well what do ya know? Ha haaaa!" he looked over his shoulder and hollered his victory at Ukyo, "I GUESS THIS MEANS I'M THE BETTER HORSEMAN! HAAA!" he boasted.

"JUST SHUT UP AND GO AFTER HIM!" Ukyo growled back, dismounting and attempting to pull her immobile horse… it sat down on its butt in response, "UUUUURRRGH! I HATE HORSES!" stamping her foot into the ground in childish anger, she looked around, noticing that said horses were no longer acting nervous. Had the Amazons moved on already?

"I don't have a good feeling about this…" Ukyo's hand strayed to her blade at her side at the ready.

Meanwhile, Ranma was still trying to gain control of the little filly he'd taken over earlier. None of the usual cue's were working! He tried digging his seat into her back as he sat back to try and put all his weight into her hindquarters. He tried keeping his heels away from her sides so she didn't feel any sort of "go faster" cue from him. He tried pulling her head with the reins to the left or the right to try and deter her from plunging straight ahead, but to no avail. The mare bolted into the trees that sharply rose against the sea of golden grass.

'Damn when they say GREEN broke, they must mean 'This is her first ride….' He thought as he ducked and dodged the low tree limbs. If he didn't know any better, he'd think she was aiming for those to try and unsaddle him!

"Oh no you don't!" he took up a tighter rein and dug his seat even deeper into the saddle, "I said WHOA!" he didn't want to do it, knowing that jerking the reins sharply often hurt horses mouths and made them even LESS receptive, but she wasn't listening to anything else…

'_Hmph, suit yourself_.' Akane flared her nostrils in anger that he would even attempt to cause her the slightest of pain. She promptly planted her front hooves, letting her hind end fly up above her head while she ducked down and sent the prince soring over her head and into some thorn bushes.

"AAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHH-UOOOPPPH!" Ranma wailed as his flying lesson came to an abrupt end.

Rolling around in the painful foliage of the grassy plains, Ranma tried to dislodge himself. He cringed, yelping and hissing as he practically tore himself out of the bush in time to see his mount watch him in what seemed to be amusement before she kicked up her heels and bolted deeper down the path and into the overgrown trees of the outskirts of the EverFree forest. Her long black tail flagging in her wake behind her as if to taunt him that the little filly had bested him.

"Well now what the hell do I do…" Ranma thought out loud and ran his scratched up hand over his face in exasperation.

Thundering hooves had him sighing in relief, 'At least Ukyo is here to pick me up,' he thought, turning towards the on-coming rider. He was sorely mistaken when horse and rider flew past him as well after the other horse.

"HANG ON AKANE, I'M COMIN!" Ryoga shouted in the wind as he pushed his mount faster and faster after the fled filly.

Ranma blinked in confusion; slowly turning to watch Ryoga and his horse fade into the trees after… Akane.

"Akane?" he contemplated what Ryoga could have meant, "Wait…. They name their horses after their princesses?" quirking an eyebrow, Ranma shook his head incredulously, "How stupid is that?" huffing, Ranma stood up to his full height and dusted off his pants and shoulders.

"Ain't gett'n no where sittin around on my ass all day am I?" he shrugged and started walking back towards their caravan.

'Let Ryoga catch that stupid filly in the dark…. Good riddance!'

-End of chapter 3-

A/N- Thank you to all of you who have reviewed! You are the driving force to this story!

I also apologize for the, sometimes atrocious, spelling and grammar errors in this story. Yes I realize after the fact they are there. Yes I use spell check, yes it has grammar help option and I use it, and yes my macbook is tired of playing editor for me lol I just wanna get the story out and am a bit impatient at times so please bare with me on that.

Special thanks to the reviewers thus far for chapter 2

Ciao and Compucles

Compucles, you are always straight with me lol Thank you!

Ciao, You make me wanna write more when you review! Lol

Special thanks to everyone who has reviewed chapter 1 as well!

Natalie-E-G, AliceTheBookGirl, and tutara!

So my question is…. How do you feel about Akane's curse?

No worries, there's still surprises to come with BOTH curses in the future. (evil smile)

Lemme know what you think! See you next month!

-Dessy-san


	4. Chapter 4

A/N- A few days late for my quota, but hey… February is a shorter month so it's very close to my quota I suppose. Oh well.

I could tell most of you were caught off guard by Akane's curse. My only hint I felt I gave was the pun in the name "Night-Mare" pfft Mare meaning female horse older than at least 4 in most cases. Speaking of horses… as a horse owner in the Midwest United States, I have the privilege of knowing when spring is coming even when winter still has it's grasps on the land…. By petting my horse and having my hand come back covered in shedded fur lol

Review responses:

Tuatara: Yes… a horse. Different, neh? Lol

Compucles: Ranma? Embarassed? Pffft nah. Lol (sarcasm) Plus, I played up his slightly dense side in just assuming that the Tendos would name Akane's favorite horse after her lol seems legit to me. I hope you like how the scenario plays out this go around. And yes. Poor poor Mousse, but do not worry, he's a bit more competent in this A/U

Jdcocoagirl: Curious? Well yes, but also pissed off, tossed in thorn bushes rather roughly, and Akane kinda bolted away into a forest lol not his horse, not his problem lol I was also playing up a bit of his spoilt prince side that was like "I don't have to deal with this no more…"

Darksouled Saiyanphoenix: I smell a DBZ fan based on the name (grins like a cat) I love that you liked the curse! I was debating making her put up more of a fight as well, but at the same time, I remember how some younger horses react to a large person on them for the first time when they are being broke and they are more like "how the hell do I keep upright with this weight on me?!" I went with that. Plus she didn't want to blow their cover, thinking Ranma would switch her out before sun down… wrong. Plenty more to come though lol

Moo: ^_^ Walla! Here's the next one!

J Luc Pitard: Yes I agree, even if she was a BIG cat, that would be a very different ride lol I kinda fangirled when I wrote Ranma as somewhat of a horse whisperer but to me he seems like the kind of man that animals are drawn to and knows how to react to them, so it flowed naturally. I wanted to up the tension and not have Ranma splashed into the water just yet, because of a second part of the curse you're about to read. And yes Mousse and Shampoo have a slightly different approach to their relationship, but it's still hilarious I assure you.

_Why does it feel so good but hurt so bad?_

_My mind keeps saying_

"_Run as fast as you can"_

_I say, "I'm done" but then you pull me back_

_I swear you're giving me a heart attack_

_Troublemaker!_

**Troublemaker: Olly Murs ft. Flo Rida**

Warning: slight language and nudity involved …. Oh mai….

Chapter 4 Tell me, Tell me, Tell me!

"Akane!?" Ryoga called out, slowing his mount to a jog in the thick forest. With the sun setting, even the moon wasn't strong enough light to pierce the density of the canopy of trees, making the forest floor and path hard to see with mere human eyes. Searching for a dark-coated horse was that much more difficult as well.

"Akane!" he called again, coming to a clearing and turning his mount around in every direction, trying to get a glimpse of his princess, "Come on, Akane, need ya to make some noise so I can find you! Akaaaaaaaannneeee!" he cupped his hands around his mouth to project better.

His mount turned his head to the left with perked ears and whickered at something, bobbing his head up and down eagerly. Ryoga was relieved to hear an answering call finally.

"Ryoga!" he sighed when he heard her, very much human, voice hiss out. It was as if she was trying to shout and whisper at the same time.

He grinned at the thought, 'Why would she try to be quiet in a forest?'

"Akane! There you are!" he dismounted and led his horse towards where he heard her in the trees.

"Hey! Wait-stop RYOGA!" Akane shrieked, "Don't come any closer!"

Ryoga planted himself confused, "Wh-Why Akane? What's wrong?" his hand flew to the hilt of his sword at the ready, feet braced apart, anticipating the danger.

"I'm….I'm not dressed…" Akane said as if he should know. It wasn't like this was the first transformation Ryoga had been through with her.

"Oh….OHHH!" Ryoga straightened and had to cough, trying to get the redness of his face to cool off before his nose bled. He cursed himself for forgetting that when she reverted from horse-form to human she didn't exactly have any clothing on…. Horses don't wear dresses small enough for her.

"My apologies, m'Lady." He quickly apologized, turning his back to the tree she was hiding behind.

A heavy, awkward silence fell between the two. Ryoga tried to calm his racing heart and Akane tried to regain her composure, waiting for Ryoga to give her some kind of clothing like her retainers usually did when she changed forms.

"Ryoga?" she whispered timidly after a long pause.

"YES M'LADY!?" He yelped, suddenly jerking his body straighter, tense and nervous.

"I… I need clothing." She reminded.

"YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, M'LADY!"

"Why are you shouting?" Akane turned to poke her head out from behind the tree. She had the saddle blanket that was on her moments before in her other form wrapped around her to preserve some kind of modesty for herself.

"Sorry." Ryoga suddenly hissed in a whisper. Akane giggled and shook her head at his antics.

Ryoga was always rather…. High strung around her it seemed.

The rustling of fabric and Ryoga's long red cape shoved under her nose brought her back to reality, startling her a bit. Ryoga was faced away and held out his cape with a stretched arm so she didn't feel like he was encroaching on her privacy any more than he had to. She took the proffered cape thankfully and turned back behind the large, thick tree.

"Thank you, Ryoga."

"You're welcome." He turned his back fully towards her once more, practicing self-control while he told himself not to turn around or think about the raven-haired naked beauty behind him.

A slow trickle of blood from his nose foretold his failure to do so.

"Damn it!" he hissed, quickly grabbing at his mount's red saddle pad to try and wipe it away- Much to the displeasure of said mount as he leaned away as if to say '_Really? No, not on me, please_!'

"Well this is as good as it's gonna get I guess." Akane revealed herself behind the tree. Ryoga peaked over his shoulder, preparing for the worst, but sighed in relief.

Luckily his cape dwarfed her rather well. On him it only brushed pass his knees a little bit. On her it reached near her ankles and encased her like a cloak rather than a cape, belying nothing to the fact that it was her only covering for her naked body underneath.

"Whe-We should get back." He cleared his throat to try and calm himself down again, turning back to his horse and adjusting the stirrups on the saddle to make it easier for his Lady to mount the steed.

"What about my saddle and tack I wore out here?" Akane tilt her head back to the tree.

"I'll carry it. It's light enough anyways." Ryoga shrugged, holding the horse while she approached and tried to mount with out showing off anything. Ryoga tore his eyes away from staring at her long, milky legs for too long. His cape did little to hide them from mid-thigh down as she sat astride his horse. He rethought his idea to simply just sit behind her on the horse and resolved to lead the horse and carry her tack instead. That thought in mind, he left her to get settled on the dark beast and turned to gather her other things and returned to lead her back.

Akane bit her lip when the moonlight caressed her face as they broke the tree line of the outer boundaries of the EverFree forest and back into the sea of golden grass. She could see the carriage had made its way closer to the forest in the time it took Ryoga to retrieve her after her little bolt of desperation and she felt the bottom of her stomach drop.

'I'm supposed to be in that carriage…' she just knew Ranma and Ukyo would know something was up when they returned with one horse and princess instead of two horses.

He would find out eventually about her curse, but it was still embarrassing to be so exposed!

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"Did I get all the thorns out M'Lord?" Ukyo asked the pouting prince. He had refused to get on another horse and chose instead to walk beside the carriage horses, leading them on while Ukyo had switched horses a while back and rode at his side. She felt bad for sitting higher than her prince, but he had insisted on walking and told her she didn't have to walk as well.

She knew he was pouting and had a bruised ego… it was hard not to notice with how he kicked at stray rocks, and bunched his shoulders up in agitation while a sour expression plastered itself on his face.

"Yea." He mumbled, not even acknowledging his captain with a spare glance.

Ukyo paused a moment, slightly hurt that he wasn't even giving her the time of day and ignored her, "Ryoga's been gone a while. 'Suppose he's searching for Akane's filly?"

"Let'em" he snorted.

"Oh look there he is now!" Ukyo thankfully shouted, happy to have something distract the sour mood her prince insisted on. She sat up higher in the saddle and waved her hand to flag Ryoga down, but realized something, "Hey is that Akane on that horse?"

"Akane?" Ranma looked up from his glaring contest with the ground to see what Ukyo was talking about.

Indeed, it was Akane on the back of that horse Ryoga was leading. She was wrapped up in the captains cape, her long legs gripping the side of the steed that carried her, distracting Ranma, as crème-paleness of them stood out starkly against the black fur of the horse beneath her.

'Why is she wrapped up in his cloak?' he felt a pang of heat envelope him but it left as quickly as it came. It was the kind of heat a man got when another took his meat pie, but more potent than just anger over a meat pie. Ranma didn't understand the unwarranted feeling and brushed it off as such.

"Ryoga…where's 'Akane?'" Ranma called, noticing that the horse with them was the gelding Ryoga rode out on.

"I'm right here…" Akane's brow furrowed as they approached the caravan and stopped for a moment.

Ryoga tensed again, knowing he was in trouble.

"No, not you, Akane," Ranma gave her a mild glare, "Though why you're out of the carriage does beg more questions than answers." He quirked an inquisitive brow at this.

"That's what I was thinking." Ukyo agreed, leaning forward with her arms crossed and leaning on her horses' neck.

"I… I was thirsty in my other form…. And needed to stretch my legs." She lied.

"So you magically teleported out of the carriage with out us seeing you?" Ukyo cocked a challenging brow. She already had mixed feelings about this little … hussy, but for her to lie blatantly to Ukyo and her prince, Ukyo's opinion of Ranma's future wife was dropping fast.

"There is such thing as a window on the other side of the carriage." Akane defended, squaring her shoulders and leveling Ukyo with a glare of her own. She sensed the female captain didn't like her at all. The feeling was mutual since Ukyo had attacked Ryoga earlier, but Akane didn't understand why the lady captain felt such hostility towards her.

"M'Lady Akane still doesn't trust you people, and chose to be stealthy about her escapade away from the caravan for a while. She often gets antsy in that form if cooped up." Ryoga supplied, thankful that what he said didn't seem to hint at just WHAT form his Lady took in the daytime.

"So what's with the cloak then?" Ranma quirked a brow, "And the tack you're carrying?" he nodded to Ryoga.

Ryoga and Akane were silent. Akane blushing a bright red and looking down at her knuckles fisting in the horses' long mane.

"Well you see-," Ryoga started, but Akane had enough. Lying about it only made things worse for her and it wasn't as if these two wouldn't find out sooner or later, since they were travel companions now. Her curse wasn't easy to hide on normal occasions, so this would only make it worse.

"No Ryoga, enough of this." Ryoga turned to her with wide eyes in shock. She was going to tell them!?

"But Akane-!"

"Help me down will you?" she held out her hands and Ryoga complied almost automatically. Once on the ground she moved to stand in front of the waiting Prince, she could tell his curiosity piqued at what she had to say, but could also tell from the look of his stormy blue eyes that he knew how hard it was to admit anything about her curse. She even thought she saw a flicker of respect in those enticing orbs as well, and found it hard to get her brown eyes to stray from his hold.

"I don't remember how, but when I was younger I was cursed," she admitted, and then paused, to steady her rapid beating heart, finding her words suddenly losing their boldness and nervousness taking hold. She had the full attention of everyone present, even the equines of the camp watched her every move. It was unnerving!

"Yeah, we know that part." Ukyo huffed.

"Shh," Ranma waved her off, not taking his eyes off Akane, much to Ukyo's displeasure as the lady captain rolled her eyes.

She took a deep breath, "When the sun comes out I change into a-," her voice suddenly shut off. What was happening? She started to try again, but nothing came out of her mouth but breathy sounds.

"Is she choking?" Ukyo's brows shot up in her bangs.

"Akane, are you ok?" Ranma put a hand on her shoulder, seeing the fight in her eyes as she tried to say something, but nothing came out, "What's wrong?"

She gave him an exasperated look and pointed at he mouth and shook her head, "You can't talk?" he guessed.

She shook her head, "Yes-oh!" she clamped a hand over her mouth surprised.

"What was that all about?" Ryoga approached her side; not at all liking the way Ranma touched her in the slightest.

"I… I don't know." She admitted, a little disturbed by what just happened, "But anyways, when the sun comes out I-!" she grabbed her throat again as her voice muted.

"She can't tell you!" Ryoga realized, "The curse is actually stopping her from telling you!"

"Well can you tell us?" Ukyo turned to the other captain curiously. Three pairs of eyes shifted to Ryoga, who looked at Akane.

It just didn't feel right for him to say it! That was her business and it wasn't his place to say such things!

But her nod of encouragement crumbled his resolve and he sighed, giving in.

"When dawn comes, she'll turn into a-ulp!" he grabbed at his own throat in surprise. HIS voice was now turned off!

"Amazing…" Ranma's eyes widened, "You can't say it either!" he turned back to Akane sympathetically, "That's some doozy of a curse ya got there!" he joked, trying to lighten up the situation, "Have you never told someone before? They just found out?" 

Akane shook her head, "No, if we ever NEEDED to tell anyone, I could. This has never happened before." She confessed.

The group hmm'd and haww'd about the implications.

"I think it means that part of the curse that is shared doesn't allow for Akane or Ranma to be told about the other's curse." Ukyo surmised with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Why would a curse have a stupid rule like that?" Ranma snorted.

"Well what about yours?" Akane pressed, "If I can't say mine, can you say yours?"

Ranma's face suddenly went ten shades darker, "M-Mine?"

"He turns into a-!" Ukyo grabbed at her throat as her own voice turned off. Her lips frantically started moving in her outrage, but no noise, save for the passage of air, came out.

"Guess not." Ryoga smirked tauntingly at Ukyo, who glared at him, "Cat got your tongue pretty boy?" he cackled.

"It only does that when we talk about the curses you idiot." Ukyo was hard pressed not to chuck a rock at the idiots' head or something to get him to shut up, then an idea occurred to her, "Wait, I bet that part of the curse is null if we SHOW the curse!" she smiled brightly as the idea came to her.

"Show?" Akane caught on, "Right, you family said yours has something to do with hot and cold water!" she pointed her finger at Ranma, having a feeling that she was on the brink of figuring it out!

"Oh if that's all we need-," Ryoga unclasped the water flask attached to his saddle and opened the lid, "Hold still princey." He grinned.

"HEY! CUT IT OUT!" Ranma jumped out of the way of the splash of water Ryoga chucked at him from the flask.

"Hold still so we can see your curse, cowardly prince!" Ryoga chased after him around the camp.

"Don't you think this is a little unfair!?" Ranma shouted as he dodged narrowly away from Ryoga's water attacks.

"This is the only way we can see your curse right?" Ryoga retorted with a chortle. He was having way too much fun with this!

"What about Akanes'!?" Ranma guffawed.

"What about it?" Ryoga cackled in return as he chased Ranma down this way and that around the women.

"…Boys will be boys." Ukyo sighed as she dismounted her horse and watched with Akane as the two … boys ran around the campground like toddlers playing during recess.

"But Ranma has a point," Akane felt the guilty suddenly, "it's not fair for us to know his curse but he doesn't know mine."

Ryoga stopped, sensing his Lady's hesitation, but when he took his eyes off Ranma, he didn't expect to get pounded in the head with said Princes' fist.

"The fuck is wrong with you!?" Ranma cursed above him, popping his knuckles.

"WHY DID YOU HIT ME!?"

"WHY DID YOU CHASE ME WITH WATER!?"

And so the two broke out into a brawl in a flurry of fists, kicks, biting, dust and insults. All the while Ukyo and Akane just turned away and ignored them while the horses watched warily at the two boys rolling around in the dust.

"Well what if we wait till dawn when your curse kicks in, then we'll invoke his?" Ukyo offered, unintentionally sounding nice towards Akane.

The sentiment wasn't lost to Akane, who turned grateful brown eyes towards the female captain, "What a great idea Ukyo!" she praised.

Ukyo rubbed her nose with a shrug, ignoring the woman's praise, "Of course it is." She agreed.

"Ryoga, you two can stop fighting now!" Akane called to her retainer, surprised when the fighting didn't slow down or even appear to be stopping between the two riled up boys, "CAPTAIN RYOGA!" she raised her voice to try and snap at least HIM out of it. When that garnered no response out of the rough housing boys, Akane groaned in frustration, "MEN!"

Ukyo crossed her arms and leaned back a little, "I think we should just wait till one passes out." The captain planted her sword in the ground in front of her and then rest her elbow on it.

"Like hell." Akane mumbled, surprising Ukyo. The little princess curses now?

Akane bent down grasped a rock in her hands, chucking it with all her might at the boys, "I said ENOUGH!"

The clod of hardened earth zoomed through the air and slammed into the back of Ryogas head, knocking him out almost instantly and causing his body to fall on top of Ranma's surprised one.

"DAAGH!" Ranma yelped when the captain's face got too close to his own for comfort and shoved the unconscious body off himself, panting wildly and searching for Ryoga's offender when his eyes landed on Akane's out stretched hand, "Wait that was you!?" the sound of rustling fabric falling had Ranma's focus on anything but Akane's hand…

"You men-… no," He could tell her anger was just beginning… maybe that's why she didn't feel the draft or something, "If you BOYS would stop being so IMMATURE and quit rolling around in the DIRT you would have heard Ukyo's plan on how to find out each others curse since we can't talk about it!"

'Oh sweet mother of…' Ranma realized she Akane seriously didn't know what just happened.

There in front of him was … a goddess of some sort, and she was anger. Boy was she angry but all he heard coming out of those sweet plump lips was a chorus of halleluiahs as she stood in all her glory about as irritated as a volcano thinking about blowing up. The cape that doubled as a cloak for her had fallen after she chucked the rock at Ryoga, and apparently she forgot that her clothing had to be held on since one had was clenched into a fist by her side and the other flung in the air in exasperation while she ranted and raved at him about something involving rolling around in the dirt.

Roll around in the dirt…. If she was there with him that sounded like a splendid idea really!

She had that hourglass figure ladies killed for! Sure she wasn't leggy, and a bit stout but her body worked with it and her curves accented enough that anything considered a 'flaw' was a perk! Speaking of perk… her 'twins' certainly were friendly and 'perky' as well! Ranma could hardly take his eyes off her friendly globes as they bobbed up and down with her heavy breathing. Her hair was out of it's tie and fallen around her waist in a wild wave of raven tresses. And her eyes… those chocolate brown eyes seemed to crackle the fire of ire.

"A-A-Akane…" Ukyo's voice broke the spell Akane had over Ranma and suddenly his ears remembered that his eyes were not the only working senses on Ranma's body and the world came crashing back to reality. Ranma had the decency to blush, but couldn't pull himself away from looking at her, "Akane, your …. It fell…" Ukyo couldn't say much else.

"What fell?" Akane turned to look at Ukyo, hands on her hips.

"I think what she means to say is, 'Do you feel a draft'?" Ranma had to open his big mouth. He just had to! Later on he would be kicking himself for this.

It was then that Akane looked down and he could swear from the tips of her perky nipples to the roots of her hair she turned red. A very cute, angry red that made her eyes look more honey-brown than chocolate.

"I…" she turned her fierce gaze on Ranma, "You-!"

And then his vision went black. Very, very black.


End file.
